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THE WONDER ISLAND BOYS 


Bt ROGER T. FINLAY 

Thrilling adventures by sea and land of two boys and 
an aged Professor who are cast away on an island with 
absolutely nothing but their clothing. By gradual and 
natural stages they succeed in constructing all forms of 
devices used in the mechanical arts and learn the 
scientific theories involved in every walk of life. These 
subjects are all treated in an incident and natural way 
in the progress of events, from the most fundamental 
standpoint without technicalities, and include every 
department of knowledge. Numerous illustrations 
accompany the text. 

Two Thousand things every boy ought to know. Every page 
a romance. Every line a fact 


Six titles — 60 cents per volume 


V THE WONDER ISLAND BOYS 
The Castaways 

THE WONDER ISLAND BOYS 
Exploring the Island 

^ THE WONDER ISLAND BOYS 
^ The Mysteries of the Caverns 

. / THE WONDER ISLAND BOYS 
^ The Tribesmen 

THE WONDER ISLAND BOYS 
The Capture and Pursuit 

THE WONDER ISLAND BOYS 
The Conquest of the Savages 


PUBLISHED BY 

THE NEW YORK BOOK COMPANY 

147 Fourth Avenue New York 


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THE WONDER ISLAND BOYS 


THE CASTAWAYS 













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THE RAFT TO THE RESCUE 


The Wonder Island Boys 

THE CASTAWAYS 


BY 

ROGER T. FINLAY 

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ILLUSTRATED 




THE NEW YORK BOOK COMPANY 
New York 


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COPTRIGHT, 1914, BT 
THE NEW YORK BOOK COMPANY 



JUN -b 1914 


©CI,A37(!284 


CONTENTS 


L The Tempest at Sea Page 11 

The occupants of the life-boat. Harry’s attempt to get 
medicine. . The five days’ storm. Washed into the sea. 
Disappearance of George. The object in the sea. Re- 
covery of George. The breakers. Preparations for the 
struggle on the rocks. Striking the shore. The crush- 
ing of the boat. Thrown on the rocks. Disappearance 
of the boat. The night on the lonely rocks. Injury 
to George and the Professor. Harry’s trip to land. 
Building a raft. Sailing the raft for the rescue. The 
tides. 

IL Shipwrecked Page 29 

George and Harry’s home. Joining the training ship. 
The training ship Investigator. Voyage south. Tlie 
Straits of Magellan. The Pacific. The explosion at sea. 
Shipwrecked. The open boat. The fury of the tempest. 
Illness of the Professor. Loss of the seaman. Their 
companions. Washed away. 

III. The First Hour on the Island Page 37 

The necessity of knives or cutting tools. Matches. 
Saltpeter. The quest for a home. Water supply. 
Springs. Why water comes out of the earth. Forma- 
tion of the earth. Fallen-tree camp. Use for tumble 
weeds. Making a fire. Charcoal. Composition of ex- 
plosives. Stone stove. Cooking and health. Rain 
clouds. Their origin. Wild potatoes found. Salt and 
vegetables. Distress signal. Half-masting. Observa- 
tion Hill. Making observations. 

rV. The Quest for Food Page 54 

The theorist. The practical member of the party. Dis- 
covery of Brazil nuts. A grindstone. Why it cuts hard 
substances. The method of making stones round each 
1 


2 


CONTENTS 


other. Clam-shell tools for cutting purposes. George’s 
trip for food. Meeting with wild animals. Snakes. 
Lost on the Island. Harry’s quest. Directions to 
Harry. Finding George. A peculiar weed. A mud- 
bank. Return home. Observing route. Determining 
directions. Landmarks. Bows and arrows. Clay. The 
ramie plant. Fiber. Hemp. Jute. Making clay reser- 
voir. Impure water. Determining true north and south. 
Ascertaining foot measure. The metric system. 

V. The Venomous Snakes Page 74 

Floating objects; why they go ashore. Tides. Waves 
and their movements. Hard and soft water. Saponify- 
ing water. Treating ramie. Learning to use bow and 
arrow. Preparing for expedition into the island. 
Gathering provisions. Cord from ramie. Carrying 
provisions. The start. A westward course. Sago- 
palms. How prepared. Flour. Finding cassava tubers. 
Tapioca. Venomous snakes. Harry bitten. The Pro- 
fessor’s remedy. Arrow-root. The wound treated. How 
to judge venomous snakes. The rattlesnake; the adder. 
Copper ore. The forest. Plums. Berries. Wild pear. 
Observations through the forest. Blazing the way. 
First use of their weapons. Discovery of yaks. The 
herd. Ground-hog. Woodchuck. 

VI. The Combat Between the Bears Page 91 

The clearing in the forest. The fight betweea wild 
animals. Discovery of the bears. The honey tree. The 
fierce combat. Death of one of the bears. Bearskin; 
bear’s meat; honey. Preservation of the meat with 
honey. Curing meat with salt. Qualities of salt. Ac- 
quired habits. Potash and potash salts. Sea water. 
The salt rock. Copper samples. Putting metals to 
work. Blende. Zinc ore. Sulphur. Hunting new home. 
Discovering a river. A cataract. Coal. Returning 
home. Discovery of herd of yaks at their home. Cap- 
turing cow and calf. The vegetable soap. Milk from 
the yaks. Exciting experience with wild hog. The 
Aardvark. Making real soap. Soap cakes. 


CONTENTS 


3 


VII. The Discovery of Useful Metals Page 108 

Preparing the new home. Difficulty in removing the 
yak. Building enclosure. Milking the yak. Novel 
method of taking the yak to new home. Accident. De- 
scription of the ropes and lariats. Escape of the yak. 
Installed in their new home. Return of the yak. Iron 
found. Making preparations to use ores found. Coal. 
Making charcoal. Clay furnace. Making coke. Fire 
brick. Common brick. Melting iron. Making forms 
for their tools. Castings. How they made cast iron 
and steel. Making a hammer. Making a grindstone. 
A hatchet. Making a bolo. 

VIII. The First Exploration Page 129 

The most useful tool. Putting up their new home. 
Clothing. Ramie fiber and the loom. The shuttle and 
the heddle. The weft and woof. Glue. The factory 
proposed. Making water wheel. The cataract power. 
Undershot wheel. Making nails. Installing water 
wheel. Making saw and frame. Annealing saw. Tem- 
pering it. Temperatures. How determined. Expedi- 
tion proposed. Preparing for the journey. To explore 
the large river in the south. Building a boat. De- 
scription. Caulking. Method adopted. The blue flower 
found at Observation Hill. Flax. Ramie useless for 
caulking. Equipping the boat. Liberating the cow and 
calf before starting. Sail in the ocean to the mouth 
of South River. Entering the river. Caution observed. 
Perceptible increase in flow of current. Discovery of 
falls. Decision to leave boat at foot of falls. Measur- 
ing the height of falls. Triangulation methods of ob- 
servation. Decision to ascend river bank on foot. Why 
forests do not come down to the ocean. 

IX. Making Thermometers and Other Instruments 149 

The first night’s shelter. Primitive cutting tools. Un- 
familiar sounds. Tramp of animals. Discovery of yak 
herd. VTiy animals avoid seashore. A path in the 
forest. Tracks not made by yaks. Following the path. 
Leaving the river. Shooting a hedgehog. How the 


4 


CONTENTS 


hedgehog played possum. Roasting the hedgehog. Dis- 
covering an orang-outan. How he weaves his seat. 
The climate. Comparisons with temperature of the 
northern zones. When the seasons begin. Differences 
between the east and west coasts. The Gulf streams in 
the Atlantic and Pacific. How modifies climate. Speed 
of ocean streams. Evidences of many varieties of wild 
animals. Altitude. Methods for determining. The mer- 
cury column. Weight of air, water, mercury. The 
Barometer. Characteristics of heat. 

X. Signs of Savage Neighbors Page 157 

The character of the landscape. Judging of land by the 
rivers. Origin of water, and what it tells. Mineral 
rocks. Discovery of new river. Following the river. 
Slow-flowing rivers. Course pursued in following a 
river. Finding a well-beaten path. Surprising discov- 
ery of remains of a fire. Evidences of human beings. 
Proof that savages made the fire. Determination to 
return to their home. Deductions and detective meth- 
ods. How the savages made the fire. Building a raft 
to return on. Floating down the river. Finding foot- 
prints on the shore of the stream. Discovery of their 
former route. In sight of Observation Hill. Surprise 
at the disappearance of their pole and distress signal. 
Company at their home. Large herd of yaks. 

XI. The Fight of the Yaks Page 167 

Home again. Mystery of the missing flag and pole. At 
work on the factory building. Cutting and hauling 
wood. Putting up furnace for their ores. Making tools. 
Making a lathe. Preliminaries required. Making 
planes. A shaft. Brazing, and how they performed it. 
The flux used. Brass. The fight of the yaks on the 
cliffs. Killing of one of the yaks. Skinning the 
animal. Steak. Corned beef, and how prepared. De- 
termination to tan the hide. Dehairing. Limestone' 
required. Making lime. The limekiln. Burning it. 
Plaster of Paris; cement. Slaking the lime. Making 
a clay-lined vat for the hide. What causes the hair to 
be removed. The office of germs in dehairing. 


CONTENTS 


5 


XII. Harnessing the Cataract Page 117 

Why air is needed in making fire. Bellows and draft. 
The bearskin utilized. Making the water wheel operate 
bellows. The fine hair of the yak. How making of 
felt was discovered. Finishing. Making of hooks. Dif- 
ficulty in tempering the hooks. A feast of fish. Kinds 
caught. Their method of making felt. Beating the 
hair to assimilate it. Fulling the felt, and what it 
means. Determining their position on the globe. Dif- 
ferences in determining latitude and longitude. Where 
calculated from. Degrees. What is meant by degree. 
Angles and their office. Showing that angle is not a 
measure. Position of a ship east and west determined 
in time, not in miles. Differences in lengths between 
longitudes at different points from the equator. Mean- 
ing of words latitude and longitude. 

XIII. Making Explosives Page 190 

A refuse heap. How refuse and offal make useful 
things. Saltpeter. Niter. Uses. Making gunpowder. 
Explosive as a fuel. Why it explodes. Putting to- 
gether the lathe. Making a drill. Suggestion to use 
yaks for team. Hunting for ripening seeds. Making a 
wagon. What was brought to the Cataract home. Medi- 
cines. Chemicals. Quinces. The legend connected with 
the quince. The hyacinth, hydrangea, and other flowers. 
Used as medicines, and their medicinal names and quali- 
ties. Nutting trips. The expedition. Hunting speci- 
mens of ore for the Professor. Tethering the animals. 
Disappearance of George. Harry’s wild hunt. Failure. 
His hurried trip home on foot. Disappearance of the 
Professor. Search. Return of Harry toward the direc- 
tion of the tethered team. A terrific explosion. Find- 
ing the Professor. The trip after George. The disap- 
pearance of the team. Discovery that George had the 
team. Finding George. The runaway of the yaks. 
Recovery of the yaks. George’s story of the hole. 
Stunned by the fall. The brown substance on his 
clothing. 


CONTENTS 


6 

XIV. The Disappearance of the Boat Page 202 

The Professor’s questions about the hole. Its mystery. 
Asphaltum. Accidental discoveries and their value. 
The Professor’s experiments in the hills. Determined 
to secure boat left at the fall. The trip of George and 
Harry. Disappearance of the boat. Speculations. Re- 
turn of the boys. The Professor’s questions about the 
boat and the oars; how placed and how left. Lessons 
of the mysterious occurrences. Advisability of making 
weapons. Caution against going singly into the inte- 
rior. Harry’s lathe completed. Making variety of 
drilling bits. Necessity for keeping time. Intervals of 
time. Clocks. Making a pendulum and determining 
its length. Latitude, altitude and temperature, all 
necessary. Making the first pistol. How they made the 
caps. How the copper was drawn into little cup-shaped 
forms. How the hammer of the pistol was made. The 
fulminate. The bullets without lead. Momentum. Its 
value in a projectile. Honey and sugar. The differ- 
ences between them. Various foods on hand. Peculiar 
actions of the yaks. Harry and George following the 
yaks. Discovery of the barley fields. Exploring the 
beach west of the Cataract home. Finding piece of a 
wrecked boat. Shooting a partridge. A tree trunk in 
their water wheel. Why debris is cast on the seashore. 

XV. Planning the Second Expedition Page 219 

The daily life of the boys and the Professor. Their 
food; how found and prepared. Barley; its value as 
food, and universal use. Making a scythe. Hay-rack 
for their wagon. Trip to the barley fields. Cutting 
the barley. Capacity of their wagon. Ascertaining 
acreage. How to measure. A pound measure. The 
tonnage they cut. Making weighing machine. V^Tiat 
their barley field yielded per acre. Experiments with 
their “guns.” Contemplated expedition of discovery. 
Preparations. Weapons. Provisions. The wagon and 
team ; how equipped. Making a millstone for the prepa- 
ration of flour. Connecting it with their water wheel. 


CONTENTS 


7 


Grinding. Bolting the meal. Loosely woven ramie 
cloth as bolting cloth. Their kitchen utensils. Making 
a metal stove. Their team, Jack and Jill. Their train- 
ing. The start for the interior. The weapons for the 
journey, and how arranged. How the wagon was 
equipped. Guiding the yaks with lines, like horses. 
Direction of their route. Their marching order, and 
preparations for defense. Into the unknown. 



LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS 


The Raft to the Rescue 


Frontispiece 


Page 

“ George could restrain himself no longer, and he fitted an ar- 


row to his bow” 102 

“ Put it closer to this side,” said the Professor. “ Do you see 

the footprints on the shore?” 166 

“ Before reaching home they saw George coming toward them in 

great excitement” 198 

The First Home 41 

The First Stove 45 

Cirrus Clouds 46 

Cumulus Clouds 47 

Stratus Clouds 48 

Finding the True North 72 

Why Floating Objects Land 77 

The Soap Plant 100 

Ash Barrel 105 

Leaching Lye 106 

The Tethered Yak 110 

Charcoal Furnace 115 

Iron Smelter 121 

Clay Bed Casting-Forms 123 

The Original Hammer 125 

The Bolo 127 

The Shuttle 130 

Threading the Heddle 131 

Heddle Frame 132 

Undershot W^ater- Wheel 135 

Measuring Heights 144 

W'hat Degrees Mean 188 

The First Gun 211 

Cap-Making Die 212 

Punches for Dies 213 

Map of the Island 231 


9 



THE CASTAWAYS 


CHAPTER I 

THE TEMPEST AT SEA 

“I AM afraid, George,” said Harry, “the Pro- 
fessor will not last much longer.” 

“Probably, if we could reach the locker and 
get some of the medicine we might be able to 
revive him.” 

“I think it is too late, but we might try.” 

There is nothing more awe-inspiring than a 
tempest at sea. In every direction are lashing 
waves giving out their peculiar hissing sounds 
which are distinctly audible above the subdued 
and never-ending roar. The roar itself partakes 
of every form of moaning sound, rising and fall- 
ing as the wind increases or decreases, and those 
who have experienced it in all its terrors — ^men 
who have gone through the greatest dangers on 
land, declare that nothing can excel the appalling 
fear which such a sight and fury of sound pro- 
duces. 

If this correctly describes the impressions of 
those on shipboard, who have every assurance 
of safety while the storm is raging, what must 
have been the feeling of those in the little craft 
who were tossed about in one of the fiercest 
storms which occurred several years ago. 

“Does he still breathe?” said Harry. 

11 


12 


THE CASTAWAYS 


“I cannot tell.” Then, after a pause, ^^His 
heart still beats.” 

The little vessel was a lifeboat, or life buoy, 
such as are carried by steamships. It was less 
than sixteen feet long, but with a wide beam, 
as such boats usually have, and while practically 
unsinkable, was, nevertheless, liable at any mo- 
ment to be torn asunder by the terrific impact 
of the waves. It had no spars or sails and only 
a single oar remained. 

For five days and nights this boat had ridden 
at the mercy of the winds and the waves, and 
now the tempest had increased in fury, as though 
determined to wreak vengeance on the little ves- 
sel and its occupants. 

^^George, did you hear the old sailor say that 
death always comes to the sick when the storm 
is at its height?” 

In the middle section of the boat were two 
boys and a man. The man was bearded and 
white-haired, lying on an improvised couch, across 
which was strapped a canvas cloth to hold him 
securely in place. His eyes were closed, and fre- 
quently he would turn his head from side to side. 
Sometimes a feeble moan would escape his lips. 

At one side, and also securely lashed to the cross 
partition, were the two boys. One of them, Harry, 
was rather tall and spare of build, apparently 
about fifteen years of age. The other, George, 
was more stockily built, and about the same age. 

Both were watching the old man, as it was 
practically impossible and manifestly useless to 
attempt to navigate the boat. During the five 


TEMPEST AT SEA 


13 


days the boys, unused to navigation, had wit- 
nessed the death of three of their comrades, who 
had been swept away, so that at this time they 
knew their only safety lay in keeping a firm hold 
to the boat. 

Everything about them was wet, and what few 
things were permitted to detach themselves were 
floating about in the water, and were it not for 
the cross partitions, the waters surging from end 
to end would have swept them to destruction 
long ago. 

Without a word George, after the last remark, 
cautiously unfastened himself, and threw the rope 
over a cleat on the adjoining partition. The boat 
was violently thrown from side to side and at 
every leap of the waves huge volumes of water 
rushed in, first from one quarter, then from the 
other, and George’s grim silence indicated that he 
knew the peril of his adventure. 

“Wait,” said the old man, “wait.” 

But George, if he heard, did not wait, as he 
crossed the partition and cautiously moved to- 
ward the stern of the boat. 

All boats of this kind are equipped with food, 
put up in water-tight packages, as well as stimu- 
lants, medicine, and apparatus designed to aid 
the shipwrecked, and the boys knew where those 
articles were. The last bottle of medicine had 
been washed away during the night, and now 
that the hurricane was at its height no attempt 
had been made to secure another flask. 

The gray hue of early morn began to show 
through the mist and spray which enveloped 


14 


THE CASTAWAYS 


them. It was just light enough so that Harry 
could see the face of the Professor, and he knew 
or felt that death was again about to visit them. 

Before George started on his perilous journey 
he held out his hand to Harry. “Good-bye,” was 
all he said, and turned his head away. Harry 
knew. Was it worth the risk? He leaned for- 
ward to stop George, but the latter did not heed 
him. 

At that moment a terrific wave broke over the 
side, and George disappeared. Harry attempted 
to spring to his aid as soon as the sea of water 
had cleared the side, but being bound he could 
not afford any relief. 

You may imagine the grief of the lonely boy, 
death on both sides of him, and his own end 
near. The angry waves, however, did not seem 
to terrify him longer. He had heard it said that 
the nearer death came the less frightful it really 
is ; he now believed this to be true. His anxieties 
began to lessen and he became calm again after 
all these reflections passed over him, and he sat 
as one stupefied. 

But he was awakened from his torpor by the 
sight of a human form, first here, then there, borne 
along by some mysterious force. It again awak- 
ened an interest in life. At that moment, by some 
fortune the body was thrown against the side 
of the boat where Harry sat, and he recognized 
the form of George. 

Instantly life again became a reality. Before 
he could recover himself the next turn of the 
wave dashed him back, just as he saw George’s 


TEMPEST AT SEA 


15 


despairing hands arise from the waves. Harry 
disentangled himself, and, in spite of the rolling 
and pitching motion, crawled over the partition, 
to discover that a rope attached to the next parti- 
tion had wound itself around a short staunchion 
and extended overboard. Not knowing why, he 
seized this rope and was astonished to find that 
something tugged and strained on it. 

■ It flashed over his mind that the object might 
be George, so with the energy born of hope or 
despair, he began to drag it in. It appears that 
before George began his excursion toward the 
locker he tied the rope around his waist and at- 
tached the other end to a belaying cleat, and to 
this foresight he now owed his life. 

George was still very much alive when, after 
several attempts, he reached the gunwale and was 
grasped by Harry; but the tremendous lurching 
and the avalanches of water hurled against him, 
to say nothing of the pitching and swaying mo- 
tions, made his rescue a difficult task. 

‘^You are safe,” said Harry, and George, who 
up to this moment had exhibited the vigor of an 
athlete, fell unconscious into the watery pool 
within the boat. It was only by superhuman ef- 
fort that Harry secured George and himself and 
placed him in such a position that he would not 
be strangled by the water. 

In the meantime the moans of the Professor 
were plainly heard, and George opened his eyes, 
looking around in surprise at his situation. But 
Harry was not idle ; as he was now the sole avail- 
able crew, life took on another aspect to him. 


16 


THE CASTAWAYS 


Strange how these things will affect the human 
mind. A little while before, with death all around 
him and close to him, the prospect had no terrors. 
But now all that was changed and his fears re- 
turned to him. ’ 

He feared for himself; he was anxious for 
George, and the moans of the Professor startled 
him into renewed activity. He must provide the 
medicine for both his patients. After groping 
through the water, and the canvas, sails and 
rope which were now hopelessly entangled, he 
reached one of the lockers and succeeded in find- 
ing one of the collapsible flasks, and after making 
his position secure, had the satisfaction of reach- 
ing George and administering some of the medi- 
cine. 

Without awaiting results, he struggled labori- 
ously, between the pitching motions of the boat, 
as it mounted on the crests of the successive 
waves, to cross the partition and reach the Pro- 
fessor. He forced a quantity of liquid past his 
lips, and was finally rewarded by a smile of recog- 
nition and of thankfulness. 

Daylight had come. Another day of gloom and 
misery to the mind of Harry, as he lay there 
panting from the excitement and the exertions. 

“Don’t you hear it — there it is — there it is!” 
It was the voice of George. He was leaning over 
the partition with one arm resting on the gun- 
wale and the other arm extended, pointing for- 
ward. Harry looked, and could see nothing but 
the angry waves. “There it is,” was again the 


TEMPEST AT SEA 17 

cry; but Harry was too excited to heed it. Was 
George delirious? 

The Professor too heard it, and a smile lit up 
his countenance; but seeing Harry move toward 
George he feebly held out his hand and moaned, 
‘‘DonT, donT, or you will be lost.” Thus was 
mystery added to the perplexities of the situ- 
ation. 

What George saw was the mist and what the 
Professor heard was the unmistakable sound of 
breakers on a rocky shore. 

The Professor had been a navigator in his early 
days, and he recognized that ominous sound which 
all mariners learn to fear. It is like an eruptive 
thunder which seems to come from below. It 
.reverberates, not like aerial thunder, but some- 
what resembling an unfinished moan, rising and 
falling at almost regular intervals. The roar of 
the breakers is not spasmodic, but is continuous 
and undulating in its character. 

‘^See, Harry, see; the shore, the shore!” To 
Harry that sound and the meaning it conveyed 
were almost overpowering. Little did either of 
the boys know what dangers lurked in that rocky 
shore. 

There may be risks in the tempests in the open . 
sea, but they are mild in comparison with the 
perils which lurk on the battle line between the 
land and the sea. The Professor knew this, but 
he was powerless to help. When Harry reached 
George the latter had recovered. 

“Now for the land! Let us get the oar and be 
sure to land the boat,” said George, the while 


18 THE CASTAWAYS 

tugging desperately with the rope which ham- 
pered him. 

“Attach a rope to the oar; if we lose that we 
are lost!^^ Harry cried, who remembered that all 
their oars but one had been washed away, and 
the sole one was now in its keeper for use when 
needed. When Harry reached the oar he found it 
useless. That is, it was useless because the 
tremendous swells and lurches of the boat gave 
him no opportunity to use it effectively. The task 
was a hopeless one. 

“It will do no good,” he cried, and George, with 
his eyes strained to catch the sight of land, fell 
back like one in despair. 

“Stop, stop!” cried the Professor, as he held 
up a warning hand. “Keep away, my boys ; keep 
away.” The boys looked at each other in amaze- 
ment. Slowly they crossed the partition. 

“Why shall we stop?” inquired George. The 
Professor grasped the boy’s hand, and said: “We 
are approaching a shore where no one can with 
safety land or make a landing. Our only safety 
lies in keeping free of the coast. In a storm even 
a smooth beach is not a safe landing place except- 
ing to those who are experienced. Keep off if 
possible until the storm abates; otherwise it is 
death.” 

The boys understood. Desperately they tried 
to keep the boat from the shore. They now no- 
ticed for the first time that the character of the 
boat’s oscillation had changed. At regular inter- 
vals they were raised high as by a mighty billow 
and then sunk down into an enormous cavern. 


TEMPEST AT SEA 


19 


The roar of the sea also had changed. When 
they went down into the abyss the swish and the 
bellow of the ocean was hushed, and a subter- 
ranean roar took its place. When they were 
poised on the pinnacle of the wave the great 
column of water striking the jagged sea line was 
like a discharge of heavy artillery in the distance. 

^'My boy, we must prepare for the end. We 
have gone in too close to change the destiny of the 
boat. When an object on the sea once gets within 
a certain distance of the land it will go ashore.^’ 

‘'But why?’’ said George. “What makes it do 
so? Is there a reason for it?” 

“Yes, but we haven’t time for that now. Our 
first duty is self-protection. I have no fear for 
myself, but I want to give you all the aid I can 
by my advice and suggestions. Never mind me. 
Take care of yourselves.” 

“WE won’t leave you, Professor. Direct us 
what to do,” said Harry. 

“When the boat strikes the shore we may be 
fortunate enough to land when the wave which 
carries us is at its highest point. If such a land- 
ing can be made there is some hope of safety. If 
we do not strike the rocks during the time when 
the wave is moving in from the sea, there is still 
an opportunity, unless, while we are being carried 
back to sea again, we strike an obstruction. There 
would be no salvation in such a case. At best we 
have only one chance in a thousand.” 

“Well, we are going to fight for that single 
chance,” said Harry. 

“That is the proper spirit. Now make your 


20 


THE CASTAWAYS 


preparations at once. At the rate we are now 
progressing we shall he on the rocks in less than 
an hour. You will need strength for the trial, so 
get something to eat at once, and tie up a few 
necessary articles of food. Do not forget the 
water-bag. Then clothe yourselves in life-sav- 
ing outfits, if you can reach them. Then, lastly, 
with the rope, harness yourselves together, because 
you will then be in a condition where each of you 
will know where the other is, and the presence 
of one will be a comfort to the other.” 

‘^But there will he three of us tied together, 
because I shall never consent to go without the 
Professor.” 

^‘Nor shall I,” said Harry. ‘‘But how shall we 
attach this harness to the boat?” 

“Do not attach it to the boat. The boat will be 
the most useless thing in the world to us if we 
once strike that shore. We are better otf without 
it as company.” 

“Oh, I see why you wanted us to provide a 
bundle of provisions.” 

“Exactly so; and now tie yourselves and be 
ready.” 

The harness suggested by the Professor con- 
sisted merely of three strands of rope parallel 
with each other, and the ends tied together. The 
two boys and the Professor were securely lashed 
to the middle rope, so that the loops of the other 
two were free and the loops were carefully folded 
and ready to be thrown overboard at the proper 
moment. The provisions were also securely fixed 
to the inner rope. 


TEMPEST AT SEA 


21 


These preparations were scarcely completed be- 
fore a monstrous black rock passed them going to 
the shore. 

‘‘Do you know, boys, that we have already been 
on shore!” 

“Why!” exclaimed both eagerly. 

“Because the rock you thought was moving to- 
ward the shore was an illusion. We are simply 
moving out to sea. Do you remember whether 
we were going up or down when we passed the 
rock!” 

“Oh, the rock came up right out of the water.” 

“Then we must have been going down. Now, 
we may land the next time, and if we can be 
caught by the crest of a wave ” 

But his voice was lost as a column of water 
shot over the boat and by a violent upheaval 
turned it over, striking at the same instant a rock 
in its path that broke the forward part of the 
boat into fragments, and landed the seemingly 
uninjured part on a saddle in the rocks. 

The only one who appeared to have any knowl- 
edge of the situation was Harry. Below him was 
George with blood streaming from a wound in his 
head. He was either dead or unconscious. The 
Professor lay near him, motionless. 

Harry called to them, but there was no re- 
sponse, and before he could recover presence of 
mind to move, another wave swept over them and 
he found himself being dragged from the rock. 
This time the Professor had been carried up the 
rock so that he landed on the sloping side that 
faced the land, and the lodged boat was gone. 


22 


THE CASTAWAYS 


George was only partially stunned, but bis scalp 
was laid bare and bis left arm was useless. 

“Are you burtf’ was tbe Professor’s first in- 
quiry. “And where is George f’ 

“Here I am,” was tbe weak response. 

“We must take advantage of things now. It 
seems we have a chance after all. Can we move 
higher up, and get a more sheltered spot 1 If so, 
I think we shall be safe for a time anyway.” 

“Thanks, Professor, for your idea of lashing us 
together. If you hadn’t done that all of us would 
now be in the sea. Look how the loops of the 
rope have caught on the jagged edges of the rock.” 

“Quite true; while the rope is a safety device, 
it is also an element of danger. The boat hap- 
pened to strike before we could throw the coils 
overboard, and it was only by the merest chance 
that they cleared the boat. If the coils hadn’t 
cleared the boat we would be with it now, in all 
probability.” 

All through the day and long into the night they 
huddled together on a little piece of jutting rock, 
with the seething sea all around them, but as 
morning approached the area of their resting 
place grew larger and larger, and the Professor 
knew that the storm was going down and that the 
water, for this reason, was not piling up so high. 

When morning came they could look out over a 
troubled sea, but while it was still angry and 
periodically sent in breakers, the wind had stilled, 
and as the sun came out and tried to soothe the 
waves they began to take courage and to specu- 
late on their condition. For nearly seven days 


TEMPEST AT SEA 23 

OTir shipwrecked crew had not seen the sun, and 
it was, therefore, a most welcome sight. 

The Professor was wonderfully cheerful. The 
weather became delightful as the day advanced, 
so that, though their territory was limited, they 
were comfortable. George, whose left arm had 
been strained, was not suffering very much pain, 
as the Professor had skillfully bandaged his arm 
and dressed the scalp wound. 

‘‘Well, boys, I suppose the next thing to do is 
to find a means to reach the land. This rock has 
been a good and substantial haven, but we must 
try this very day to reach land and see what we 
have before us.” 

“We can swim, anyway, even if our boat is 
gone, and with the aid of our life-preservers we 
can reach the shore, I am sure. But I suggest 
that as George has a useless arm I will first swim 
to land and form an exploring expedition on my 
own account,” said Harry. * 

The Professor did not object, but he held back 
Harry, who was only too intent on starting. 

“Never mind,” said the latter, “for the present 
I am the captain of this expedition.” Without 
further word he set about making the necessary 
preparations. He adjusted his life-preserver, 
and as soon as the Professor gave the word, went 
down to the water. 

“Wait, Harry. Have you a knife or anything 
to defend yourself with, or with which you may 
be able to prepare some article of defense?” To 
the consternation of all there was not a knife in 
the party. 


24 


THE CASTAWAYS 


“I am going anyhow.” 

‘‘But, Harry, you must take a piece of this rope 
along. You may find it of great service.” To 
sever it was a difficult matter, but the sharp rock 
and a little patience overcame the difficulty, and 
with the sling of rope over his shoulder and se- 
cured around his waist, he entered the water. 
Avoiding the rocks as he swam, he finally reached 
the last stretch of rock which lined th^ shore. 

Before starting they had agreed upon a system 
of signals, and had selected the signaling point 
on land which Harry was to use as his station. 
He next directed his steps to this point. 

But now for the first time Harry began to feel 
the sensation of fear. He was treading an un- 
known land, but there was too much pride in 
him to turn back, so he cautiously stole forward 
and carefully picked his way along the rugged 
rocks and entered a small ravine which led up- 
wardly until he reached the open ground. He 
made his way toward a small clump of bushes, 
and beyond, in the distance, he could see a forest. 
What to do, or which direction to take, was the 
question for him to decide. For the time being 
he was lost; something oppressed him. It was 
the silence to which he was not accustomed, but 
there was the glory of seeing and treading land, 
and feeling the warm sunshine after escaping the 
terror of the seas. 

He could see no signs of human habitation. In 
the distance to his left was the rolling sea, and 
he soon began to realize that he must endeavor 


TEMPEST AT SEA 25 

to find some means, if possible, to rescue his com- 
panions before the night set in. 

It seems that their landing place was part of 
a projecting point of land, one side of which ap- 
peared to be a rocky coast line, and the other side 
comparatively free and open, and which prom- 
ised rather easy access to the sea. 

He determined to explore the accessible side, 
and soon found himself close to the beach. Here, 
scattered in all directions, lay driftwood, bark, 
and seaweed, and without waiting to rest he be- 
gan to gather a mass of material, which he de- 
posited near the shore. The wisdom of the Pro- 
fessors advice about the rope was now apparent 
to him. 

When he had gathered enough wood to form his 
primitive raft the lack of any knife or cutting 
implement dawned on him. There were no rocks 
near to aid him in cutting the firm marine rope. 
Quite by accident he picked up a clam shell. He 
knew that a broken edge of shell would render 
him service, but how to break it was the ques- 
tion. Finally, after numerous experiments, he 
succeeded in breaking one of the shells by using 
two pieces of hard driftwood. With this newly 
acquired tool he finally cut off several lengths by 
means of which he bound together three bunches 
of wood. After dragging them to the water’s 
edge he launched them singly, and when he had 
floated them, tied them together. 

It was fortunate for the boy that this launch- 
ing was effected in a small bay or cove, for the 
swells were still coming in at regular intervals. 


26 


THE CASTAWAYS 


and if he had attempted the launching at the open 
sea front, his craft might have been wrecked. 
With another piece of rope he fastened flat pieces 
of bark to a pole, and thus equipped, he fearlessly 
piloted the raft into the open sea, cautiously work- 
ing his way around the point in the direction of 
the rocks where his companions lay. 

The Professor and George saw Harry disap- 
pear with many misgivings, and anxiously 
awaited his return from the point of disappear- 
ance. An hour passed, then another, and no sig- 
nal, and anxiety gave way to fears. 

“If the land is inhabited I can understand the 
long silence, as it may take some time for him 
to arrange for our delivery. On the other hand, 
he may be a prisoner, in the hands of savages.’^ 

“But, surely, if he intended to save us, or was 
in a condition to do so, he should have signaled 
us as agreed.” 

“The only other alternative is that he may have 
met with an accident. Unfortunately, my long ill- 
ness has kept me entirely out of touch with our 
location. We are, no doubt, in the Pacific Ocean, 
and south of the Equator.” 

“How do you know we are south of the Equator, 
Professor?” 

“The sun tells me that.” 

“How does it tell you?” 

“Because, you will remember, it is summer here 
at the same time they have winter north of the 
Equator. We left New York in September, and 
we have been cruising about three months, so that 
it is now December. North of the Equator the 


TEMPEST AT SEA 


27 


sun at midday casts a shadow to the north ; south 
of the Equator it casts a shadow to the south at 
the same time. In the winter ” 

‘‘Ship ahoy!” rang out like a challenge, as the 
amateur mariner Harry appeared coasting along 
the rocky edge. George sprang forward so im- 
petuously that before he could check himself he 
was precipitated into the water. Fortunately, it 
was not deep or dangerous, and the only serious 
feature was the possible injury to his strained arm. 

“I shall have to commission you the Admiral 
of this Empire,” said the Professor. “You are 
a wonder to construct and navigate such a craft. 
It is, indeed, lucky that the tide is ebbing or you 
never could have accomplished it.” 

“Was that the reason. Professor, you held me 
back for two hours this morning when I was so 
anxious to start?” 

“Yes, because at that time the tide was still go- 
ing too strong toward the land, and I knew that 
your time of safety for returning would be just 
after the ebb tide ceased.” 

“What is ebb tide?” 

“I am glad you asked that question. Tidal 
movements in the ocean depend on the attractive 
power of the moon. The moon revolves around 
the earth in less than twenty-four hours, hence 
there are two tidal movements during that period ; 
namely, high tide and low tide. When the tide 
is at its highest and the waters begin to creep 
down the shore line, the tide ebbs,, as it is called, 
and just before the return or the flood time com- 
mences the ebb tide ceases. So you launched your 


28 


THE CASTAWAYS 


ship just before the ebb tide ceased. But now we 
have business to carry out. What did you dis- 
cover? Is the island inhabited?’’ 

^T could not find any signs of human beings, 
although I hadn’t time to go very far, as I was 
so anxious about you, and it was too far for me 
to go back to our signal station.” 

“The tide is just right for us if we lose no 
time, so let us start at once.” 

“Let us get the Professor aboard first, and then 
George can take a place. If our ship won’t hold 
all of us I can swim it.” 

“But,” said George, “who will row, because my 
arm is useless?” 

Harry had not thought of this. 

“You forget,” said the Professor, “that the flood 
tide is now coming. We cannot, then, be carried 
out to sea, and we shall, sooner or later, probably 
within the next hour, reach the landing place.” 

The raft, although much submerged, was fairly 
comfortable, and by careful management was 
finally piloted safely around the rocky point and 
landed on the beach not far from the place where 
Harry had launched the craft. 


CHAPTEE II 


SHIPWRECKED 

Having rescued our young friends and their 
elderly companion from the dangers of the sea, we 
will leave them on the island temporarily, in order 
to explain how they chanced to be where we found 
them, and relate the incidents leading up to their 
narrow escape. 

George Mayfield and Harry Crandall were ordi- 
nary boys. Neither had distinguished himself at 
the country schools which they attended, prior to 
their advancement to the city graded schools, and 
where for the first time they met each other. 

Harry’s uncle was an importer and interested 
in a fleet of trading vessels, and when a movement 
was set on foot to man a small ship to be used 
as a training ship for boys, the uncle made an 
application in behalf of his nephew for a posi- 
tion. It was eagerly accepted by Harry provided 
George could also accompany him. 

George’s parents reluctantly consented; and so 
it happened that early in September the boys 
landed in New York, and were conducted by their 
friends to the dock in South Brooklyn, where the 
Investigator, the training ship, was docked. 

It is needless to describe the advices, the ad- 
monitions and the final good-byes which were ut- 
tered. There is always more or less joy and sor- 
row blended in these partings, and it may be 


30 


THE CASTAWAYS 


imagined that George and Harry, like all boys, 
found more joy in the excitement of the hour, 
than sorrow at the separation. 

It is a peculiar phase of human nature, that 
those who are left behind always feel the separa- 
tion more keenly than those who are taking the 
trip. There is more or less exultation in the 
traveler at the thought of adventure — of seeing 
new places and things which, temporarily, sup- 
presses the instincts for home. 

The boys marveled at the new and strange 
sights which engaged their attention as they 
slowly sailed dovm the hay, past Governors Is- 
land, the Statue of Liberty, and through the Nar- 
rows, with old Fort Hamilton on one side and 
Fort Wadsworth on the other. 

Reaching the lower hay they passed innumer- 
able fishermen and incoming vessels from foreign 
ports, and within an hour after leaving the Nar- 
rows they were abreast Sandy Hook, which is 
called the gateway to the harbor. 

Soon they were in the open sea and now, for 
the first time, they had an opportunity to look 
around and note the character of the vessel which 
was to be their home. 

The vessel was a small, staunch ship, 180 feet 
long and 30 feet wide, and was equipped with a 
650-horse-power engine, turning a single screw, 
so that while not designed for speed, it could 
readily make from twelve to fifteen miles an hour. 

It was fitted up with all conveniences for com- 
fort, and especially adapted for its new uses, to 
care for, drill, and educate the boys who were 


SHIPWRECKED 


31 


committed to its keeping. Three fair-sized class- 
rooms had been provided below the main deck, and 
on the main deck were a gymnasium, library and 
assembly rooms, and cabins for the boys. 

The crew occupied quarters on the lower deck, 
and aft were the kitchen and dining-room. 

The boys learned that they had forty-three com- 
panions, ranging from 14 to 18 years of age, all 
handsome, intelligent young men, many of whom, 
no doubt, looked upon the adventure as a lark. 

To George and Harry, unaccustomed as they 
were to sea life, everything was interesting and 
instructive. Early in the morning of the first day 
they were all called to quarters, as it is termed 
in marine parlance. 

This is an assemblage of men and officers, at 
which time they are directed in their duties, in- 
structions are given, or men are reprimanded or 
rewarded. Here the course of study and of life 
on shipboard was explained, the rules and regu- 
lations of the sea were read over, the hour for 
retiring and the time for rising were set, meal 
times regulated, hours for recreation provided, 
the character of the exercises prescribed, and al- 
most every detail of life and action specified. 

It is the fundamental principle of such train- 
ing schools to cultivate the formation of regular, 
healthful and beneficial habits, and to teach the 
boys not only what to study, but how to acquire 
knowledge, and this latter requirement, ^^How to 
do it,” is of far more importance than learning 
what to study. 

It is needless to the purpose of this book to 


32 


THE CASTAWAYS 


detail life on shipboard; how the course of the 
ship carried them to southern ports, passing 
Cuba, thence through the Caribbean Sea. After 
leaving Buenos Aires, the seaport capital of the 
Argentine Republic, they set out on their long 
sail for the Straits of Magellan, the short cut to 
the Pacific Ocean. 

It may be said that those days were busy ones. 
They acquired the uses of tools and implements of 
all kinds, for the training school on shipboard is 
not for nautical purposes alone, but to instil a 
general education. In physical exercises rowing 
is necessarily one of the first accomplishments, 
and both of the boys became apt pupils, receiving 
many opportunities for practice while in the dif- 
ferent ports. 

They were of an inquisitive turn of mind, and 
gradually attracted the attention of the old Pro- 
fessor who had charge of the science department. 
Professor Chapman was an exceptional scholar 
and a practical instructor. He was a man of pro- 
found learning and had a wide experience which 
admirably fitted him for his position. He was 
like the sages of old, who loved knowledge for its 
own sake and truth because of its merits. Like a 
true scientist he believed that education is the 
greatest blessing that man can enjoy. He was an 
inspiration to the boys, and although George and 
Harry exhibited peculiarly strong and divergent 
inclinations in their methods of study, as we shall 
presently see, the Professor never indicated a 
preference for either on this account. 

The passage of the Straits was an event on 


SHIPWRECKED 


33 


shipboard. The air was delightfully warm and 
midsummer in southern latitudes was at hand. 
They had left New York on the 20th of Septem- 
ber, so that now, after nearly two months of cruis- 
ing, the warm November days were at hand. How 
odd to talk about warm weather in November, De- 
cember, and January, when nearly everybody at 
home is freezing ! 

Slowly the ship steamed to the west, and finally 
altered its course northerly. Two weeks before 
the ship passed the Straits, the Professor had 
been taken ill, so that for nearly three weeks he 
was not on duty. His former exhibition of atfec- 
tion for the boys made them crave the right to 
visit him, which they did at all times when per- 
mitted. Thus they cemented a friendship which 
laid the foundations of the present series of books, 
detailing their adventures, not only through perils 
and difficulties on land and on sea, but through 
the realms of knowledge concerning things which 
every boy should know. 

One night while the boys were making their 
regular visit there was an unusual commotion on 
board, followed immediately by a terrific explo- 
sion which shook every part of the ship. Harry 
was the first to recover himself. 

‘What is that? Do you suppose we have struck 
something?^’ 

“No,” said the Professor. “That sounds like 
an explosion.” 

George rushed from the room, and Harry 
turned to go, but the Professor restrained him. 


34 


THE CASTAWAYS 


‘^George will come back with the news. We 
may have to devise means for onr safety.” 

But the news came all too fast. An explosion, 
not explainable, had torn the ship apart and she 
was even then sinking. There was commotion 
everywhere. Harsh orders came from the offi- 
cers, and the rushing, tearing scramble of a dis- 
organized mass reached the sick room. 

George burst in crying, ‘‘She is sinking, and we 
must take to the boats.” Without knowing how 
or why, the boys rushed out to the deck alongside 
the Professor’s room, and with two other boys 
prepared one of the lifeboats for launching, a 
task which, fortunately, they learned as one of 
their duties. 

The explosion had practically severed the ship 
into two parts, so that the work of rescuing was 
greatly hampered, as the entire ship’s company 
was now disorganized. It was only too plain that 
if they were to be saved they could not depend 
upon orders, and in this the Professor agreed. 
He was very weak, but under the excitement of 
the moment, with the aid of the boys, he was 
landed in the boat with George, Harry, a seaman, 
and two boy companions, making a total of six. 

When it was found that no one else needed 
assistance, and the wreck was practically cleared 
of all its human occupants, they cut loose from the 
ship, and not a moment too soon. Even at the 
distance they then were from the ship — less than 
two hundred feet, when it sank — the wave which 
engulfed the Investigator rocked their boat. 

They were on the open sea ! True, they had a 


SHIPWKECKED 


35 


lifeboat, supposed to be unsinkable, but it was 
night and they had no knowledge of their position, 
as the Professor’s illness deprived him of the 
necessity and opportunity for knowing, and the 
seaman did not possess the knowledge necessary 
to aid them. 

Only one of the other lifeboats had been in 
sight since the ship went down, and to that the 
seaman directed the course of the craft, only to 
learn that there was not an officer aboard. It 
was agreed, however, to stand by so as to render 
assistance to each other when morning came. 
Nothing else could be done because the Professor 
was exhausted and utterly unable to give any 
directions. 

A light wind had been blowing, and had in- 
creased when the catastrophe took place, and it 
now became a gale. It was impossible to keep 
the companion boat in sight, and before long the 
single sail they carried was taken in. The wind 
and the waves increased, and a terrific storm of 
thunder and lightning followed. During the 
height of the storm something struck the little 
vessel a violent blow, and when the lightning again 
lit up the view George and Harry saw only a 
single comrade, the seaman and their other com- 
panion having disappeared, and with them the 
oars which they held. 

All that night and the next day the storm kept 
up its vigor until all were exhausted. On the 
third their other companion was washed over- 
board, despite the efforts to rescue him. Long 
before this they had learned the wisdom of lash- 


36 


THE CASTAWAYS 


ing themselves securely to the boat, and they 
never could account for the reason why their 
companion should have been hurled into the sea, 
except that in his delirium he may have untied 
himself and deliberately cast himself overboard. 

Two days and two nights more bring us to the 
opening scene of the first chapter. 


CHAPTER III 

THE FIEST HOME ON THE ISLAND 

‘‘Hebe is our empire,” said George. 

‘‘But of what use is an empire without a knife 
or a match?” was Harry’s response. 

“Did nature make knives or matches?” asked 
the Professor. 

“Of course not. I made a pretty good knife out 
of a clam shell that nature furnished.” 

“Then why not make matches?” 

“Certainly, if nature will furnish me the mate- 
rials.” 

“Here it is, all about you; the earth, the rocks 
and the trees.” 

“Well, we must have a fire.” 

“Not now, boys; we need something else first. 
The first necessity is food. We have very little 
of that left, not enough for another meal. Then 
there is another thing we need more than a fire.” 

“I know, shelter.” 

“Yes, and something else you haven’t men- 
tioned.” 

“Why, clothing, to be sure.” 

“As we happen to have a sufficient supply of 
clothing, and are not starving, let us, first, select 
our habitation, and then we can arrange our fuel 
supply.” 

“Why not take some of these clams along? 
The sea owes us a living.” 

37 


38 


THE CASTAWAYS 


^^Well said, George.” So gathering np a quan- 
tity, which George insisted on carrying, by con- 
verting his jacket into a carrying bag, they started 
for their “empire.” Harry assisted the Profes- 
sor, who, though very weak, was able to walk 
with the assistance offered. 

They directed their course toward the forest 
which Harry had discovered, and to the right they 
found the ground uneven and broken. Here the 
Professor suggested that the probability of a safe 
retreat would be more likely in that direction; 
than in the open. In their journey they were 
gratified to find vegetables of various kinds, but 
did not stop to investigate their character, as a 
home was the first consideration at that time. 

The quest for shelter was a tedious one, and 
George suggested they camp for the night where 
they were, but the warning voice of the Professor, 
that they had but little fresh water left, induced 
them to proceed. 

“The hills will also, doubtless, furnish us a 
water supply,” he added, “and as a last resort we 
may be able to find a spring along the rocks, as 
I judge they are of such formation as to yield a 
supply.” 

“Why should the rocks furnish a water sup- 
ply?” asked George. 

“The rocks are merely the mediums which con- 
vey the water from place to place.” 

“But I have seen springs come up out of the 
ground where there were no rocks.” 

“That was an excellent observation. You may, 
probably, know the reason why.” 


FIEST HOME ON THE ISLAND 39 


“Because the earth itself holds water.” 

“Yes, but why should it come up out of the 
earth 

The boys were silent. 

“I will tell you. When water oozes from the 
earth, or from the rocks, it is because it is sup- 
plied from a source which is higher than the 
spring itself. That source may be a mile, or man}^ 
miles away, and it is conveyed through the fis- 
sures of the rock until it comes out at the spring.” 

“But suppose there are no rocks near the spring, 
how does it happen that the water comes up 

“The earth itself is made up of formations which 
may be purely sand or loam. In that case the 
sand or loam absorbs the water, and springs are 
not formed. The only remedy, then, is to dig a 
well and the water then flows into the well from 
the surrounding moist soil. But where the 
springs do come up out of the ground there is 
generally a clay or shale formation, usually in lay- 
ers, which carries the water along just like the 
seams in the rock.” 

“What is this?” said Harry, as they descended 
the hill. “Here is water.” 

“There must be a spring near this,” said the 
Professor, and they eagerly passed up along the 
little stream. The appearance of a spring trickling 
from a little ledge of rock was a welcome sight 
to all. 

“Now for our camp,” said George. 

The Professor pointed to a fallen tree less than 
two hundred feet away. On examination it was 
found to be a large one that had been blown down 


40 


THE CASTAWAYS 


during the storm, and the roots had carried up 
quite a quantity of earth, which would make an 
excellent shield or wall for one side at least. 

Harry was all energy now. He gathered a 
quantity of small poles, such as he could easily 
break, as well as a number of smaller ones with 
the leaves on them, and together they made a 
crude enclosure below the fallen trunk. This 
work occupied their attention until the sun had 
nearly gone down behind the hills, so the Profes- 
sor suggested that rest was now of more impor- 
tance than anything else after the hard day’s 
work. 

“We haven’t made our beds yet,” said Harry, 
as he darted in the direction of the woods. Within 
a short time he was back with a quantity of leaves. 

“Why didn’t we bring the rope with us I” said 
George ; “we might have made a drag to haul in 
the leaves with it.” 

“Our coats will help us out.” So George ac- 
companied Harry several trips, and within a half- 
hour they not only secured sufficient leaves to 
make the Professor comfortable in a thickly 
matted bed, but had their own “bunks” well fitted 
out for their first night’s experience. 

When they went out for their last load the Pro- 
fessor suggested that they should bring in a few 
stones and also some dry twigs. 

“Didn’t we see some tumble weeds clogged up 
against some underbrush as we came along ? That, 
or any small leaves or dried-up vegetation, will 
come in handy.” 












42 


THE CASTAWAYS 


know what yon mean. I can get plenty of 
that.” 

The hoys willingly obeyed. 

^‘Now for a feast, boys; I begin to feel hungry, 
after my hard work to-day,”' said their adviser, 
with a twinkle in his eye. 

‘‘Never mind. Professor. If yon will only direct 
ns it will give ns pleasure to do the work.” 

“Then supposing we have baked clams for our 
first course to-night.” 

Both boys burst into laughter. “Let us have 
the matches. Professor.” 

“I saw Harry bring them in a little while ago. 
Where did you put them?” 

There was a look of bewilderment in Harry’s 
face, until he saw the Professor’s eyes wander 
toward the dry sticks. He quickly handed one of 
them to the Professor. 

“You must have made a mistake. This is of 
no use as a means to build a fire.” 

It was George’s turn to laugh. 

“The very word ‘matches’ means the origin of 
the word. A match is what I wanted for the piece 
you handed me. It really signifies that to pro- 
duce heat, whether mechanically, electrically or 
chemically, two elements, substances, or bodies, 
must be used together.” 

“Oh, yes, I know, by friction.” 

“Yes, that is the mechanical means.” 

“But do matches produce fire by mechanical 
means?” 

“Yes, combined with chemical means.” 


FIEST HOME ON THE ISLAND 43 


‘^Then, chemical and mechanical means mnst be 
used together 

‘^Not at all. One of the matches made in the 
early part of the last century was in the form of 
a stick of wood tipped with sulphur, which was 
dipped into a bottle of phosphorus. The chemi- 
cal action was hot enough to ignite the sulphur. 
But it was inconvenient and dangerous to carry 
around phosphorus, as it burns at a very low tem- 
perature. Sulphur burns at a higher tempera- 
ture, and wood at a still higher temperature. 
Instead of tliat inconvenient method the practice 
now is to combine the sulphur and phosphorus and 
tip the end of the match with that, and then use 
friction or mechanical means to produce the low 
or initial heat to ignite the phosphorus ; the phos- 
phorus ignites the sulphur, and the sulphur ignites 
the wood.’^ 

^‘But how is it that some matches will not ignite 
unless they are scratched on the boxf’ 

“Because the substance on the box has in it 
such material that it ignites at a low temperature, 
like phosphorus, and the match itself does not 
have a low igniting material.” 

In order to utilize the two sticks, one is held 
rigid and the other is forcibly rubbed against it 
over the same area, and by that means a sufficient 
heat is produced to make sparks.” 

It was here that Harry^s strong arm came into 
play. 

“Now, when you see the sticks begin to smoke, 
bring some of the dry and fine leaves near it, 
but keep up the rubbing.” Harry did so, and to 


44 


THE CASTAWAYS 


his delight the smoke soon started, and finally, 
at each rubbing motion small sparks appeared, 
blacking the surfaces of the sticks. 

^‘That black you see is charcoal, or carbon, and 
it is the greatest fuel known.” 

‘Tf it is such a good fuel why use the dried 
leaves 

^‘Because to light a fire and maintain it requires 
oxygen. Neither carbon nor hydrogen will burn 
in the absence of oxygen. One-fifth of common 
air is oxygen. Air surrounds the small leaf fila- 
ments so that the sparks from the wood will get 
sufficient oxygen to start the blaze, whereas that 
same amount of air would not start fire in the 
sticks themselves.” 

^^But if air is absolutely necessary to make the 
fire, how does it come that powder if packed in 
fight, so that no air can reach it, will burn!” 

‘‘Because all explosives have sufficient oxygen 
combined in their make-up to support combustion. 
That is a matter we shall have to take up more 
fully at some future time, because it is a subject 
of vast importance and will be of immense use 
to us to understand.” At this rate, however, we 
shall have a late supper.” 

With a little nursing the fire was fairly started, 
and soon was ready for the stove. 

“Now for our stove. Here are the stones. I 
had quite forgotten what they were for.” 

“CanT we make some other use of them!” said 
the Professor. 

“Why, we can use them to open our clams, as 
I suppose we shall want them on the half shell.” 


FIRST HOME ON THE ISLAND 45 


‘^If we roast them whole there will be no trouble 
in opening them.” 

<AVhy ?” 

^‘Because the heat destroys the ligament which 
holds the shells together.” 

A fire was soon blazing in the stove, and the 
clams scattered over the stone top, and also a 
goodly quantity was put into the glowing fire, so 



The First Stove 


that in a short time the clams forgot to be so 
close-fisted and opened up their treasure. 

It was, indeed, a feast to our mariners after the 
stress and privations of the past week. 

‘^Do you know that it is now eight days since 
we have tasted anything warm?” said George. 

^^But I am thankful,” said Harry, “that the Pro- 
fessor has been able to survive and really almost 
to recover his strength during the past eight 
days.” 


46 


THE CASTAWAYS 


‘Tt only shows/’ said the Professor, ‘That cook- 
ing or high living are not the things which nature 
really needs, if she needs any aids. Man is just 
as liable, in his ignorance of the proper remedies, 
to fight against nature, as to aid her. I am par- 
ticularly thankful for the bravery, the kindness 
and the helpfulness of my two young friends. If 
my strength .permits I am going to prove to you 
that the shipwreck will be a blessing to you, and 
your trials the very stimulus which will aid in 



Cirrus Clouds 


making you strong, self-reliant and unselfish 
men.” 

The boys were deeply affected by their friend’s 
words, and assured him that their earnest desire 
was to merit his friendship and affection. 

The clams were greatly relished, and while they 
had no other provisions they retired for the night 
contented and satisfied and in keen anticipation 
of what the new day held for them. 

The following morning opened with a hidden 
sun. Heavy clouds were moving westwardly, and 
indications pointed to rain. 


FIRST HOME ON THE ISLAND 47 


said the Professor, ‘Those are rain 

clouds.’^ 

“What at*e the rain clonds?’^ 

“All clouds are really rain clouds, in the sense 
that clouds are merely minute particles of water 



Cumulus Clouds 

held in suspension. The meteorological name for 
a rain cloud is called ‘nimbus.^ ” 

“I thought nimbus was the halo, or whatever it 
is called, that surrounds the head of Christ in 
pictures V’ 

“So it is. It means a cloud or mist. In 
ancient times the nimbus of God was represented 
as of triangular form. The nimbus of Christ was 
in the form of a cross; that of the Virgin Mary 
as a plain circle; and that of the angels and 
saints as made up of a circlet of small stars.” 

“But the pictures all show the nimbus with rays 
branching out in all directions. I don’t see how 
the clouds do this.” 

“Then you have not carefully studied them. 
There are three kinds of cloud which go to make 
up the true nimbus, or rain cloud. One called the 


48 


THE CASTAWAYS 


cirrus, or tlie cat-tail cloud of the sailors (Figure - 
3), which looks something like the branches of a 
fallen tree. These clouds move at great heights ; 
the cumulus clouds (Figure 4) are dense masses, 
either convex or rounded at their tops, light at 
their upper edges, and having dark bases. They 
look like black smoke with illuminated tops ; and, 
third, the stratus (Figure 5), which are in the 
shape of long parallel masses, like long bands. 



Stratus Clouds 


You can see the sky between them. When these 
three forms merge, or become joined with each 
other, the true nimbus is formed and rain falls. 
I have no doubt water is falling there now,” he 
said, pointing toward the west. 

^Tf that’s so,” said Harry, ^Ve ought to put a 
better roof on our house as quickly as we can.” 

‘T vote that we get something to eat,” said 
George. ^^Clams are good, so far as they go, but 
I want something else for a change.” 

‘^George is right; we can, probably, get along 
fairly comfortably for another day as we are, but 
food is absolutely necessary.” 

“I will go for some more clams,” said George, 



FIEST HOME ON THE ISLAND 49 


^‘and on my way back try to forage for some- 
thing else.” 

will have the fire ready by the time yon re- 
turn,” said Harry. It did not take George long 
to reach the beach. Great was his disappoint- 
ment to find that the tide was now in and the 
water had crawled up far beyond their landing 
point, so that no clams were in sight. He was 
also chagrined to find that the log raft had dis- 
appeared, and with it the rope and the life-pre- 
servers which had been left there. 

This piece of news was too much for George, 
who at once returned breathlessly to the camp, to 
impart the unfortunate information. The roar- 
ing fire but added to his vexation. 

‘Trobably you would better try the garden,” 
said the Professor. ‘T saw some good substitutes, 
if I am not mistaken, for some of our northern 
vegetables ; and you may at least find some greens 
that will be relished. I shouldnT be surprised to 
find that our farm contains many varieties, and 
also berries. Possibly we may find the plaintain 
tree.” ^ 

‘Tdl make an effort at least to get something. 
I^m too hungry to wait for the tide,” said George, 
who requested Harry to break off and sharpen a 
stick for him, so that he could have some sort 
of tool, at least, and with that, singing merrily, 
he was off. 

He had a long quest for a hungry boy. Too 
long, he thought, but he persevered. Finally, 
after digging up one vegetable after another, only 
to throw it away in disgust, he uncovered a vine- 


50 


THE CASTAWAYS 


like plant, to the roots of which adhered small 
egg-shaped bulbs, each stem carrying a dozen or 
more of the tubers. On crushing one of them he 
found the odor not unlike the potato, but it was 
very bitter. 

Out of breath he hurried to the camp, with a 
number of specimens, to show the Professor. 

^What are these? I found a lot of them, but 
they are very bitter, and I am afraid they aren’t 
good to eat.” 

^^Well, isn’t a raw potato rather bitter? You 
were very fortunate, indeed, to discover this kind 
at the first attempt.” 

‘What is it?” asked Harry. 

“It is a wild potato, called the solanum Jamesii, 
one of the six well-known varieties of the potato. 
In botany the potato is known as solanum. This 
variety grows on the mountains of Colorado, New 
Mexico, and in many parts of South America.” 

“Do these wild potatoes grow everywhere?” 

“No, but they have been found in different parts 
of the world ; in the United States, Peru, Bolivia, 
Ecuador, Colombia, Costa Rica, Mexico, Chili, in 
the Western Hemisphere; and in Italy, Spain, and 
Germany in the Eastern Hemisphere.” 

Harry had built a very substantial stone stove, 
and covered it with a flat stone which he found 
on the hillside. 

George’s delight knew no bounds as he hur- 
ried to gather more of the tubers, repeating the 
newly found name, solanum, over and over. It 
was his first lesson in botany. 

This variety of potato, although much stronger 


FIRST HOME ON THE ISLAND 51 


in flavor, and more unpalatable in its raw state 
than the cultivated potato, is much sweeter when 
baked, but it is not as tasty when boiled. The 
potatoes were placed on the heated stone and 
covered with a bridge of small stones to keep 
in the heat. It was really a treat. 

“How sweet they are. When I tasted them raw 
they were bitter. Why is it that cooking makes 
them sweet r’ 

“Because potatoes contain phosphoric acid and 
nitrogen, as well as other acids. Nitric acid is 
formed, which we taste, and also the phosphoric 
acid. Heat destroys the acids, or, to be more 
exact, as over seventy-five per cent, of the potato 
is water, the heat converts the water into steam, 
and also at the same time liberates the salt, which 
the potato also contains, so that when the salt 
and the acid combine a neutral compound is 
formed. Some varieties of potatoes have as high 
as five per cent, of sugar, as well.” 

“But why should salt destroy the acids?” 

“Salt is the opposite of an acid, and when they 
meet there is a fight in which both are overcome, 
and the result is a new compound unlike either of 
the originals.” 

The meal finished, their conversation led toward 
an inquiry as to their location. To be cast upon 
an island, far into the unknown, has been the lot 
of many, and the first instinct is a cry for help. 
It was so with our adventurers. 

“This may be a small uncharted island, or we 
may have landed on a coast in the path of ocean 


52 


THE CASTAWAYS 


vessels. In either case onr first duty is to put up 
a distress signal,” said the Professor. 

^‘How is the distress signal made?” 

^‘Usually by inverting the flag.” 

“But we havenT any flag,” said George, and 
after a moment’s reflection, “I will use my shirt 
if you can make a flag out of it.” 

“But,” responded Harry, “how can we make a 
flag unless we have the colored stripes and the 
blue square at the upper corner? If we don’t 
make such a flag how will they know it is upside 
down ?” 

“By half-masting the flag.” 

“Oh, yes, I remember, while at Kio Janeiro, the 
captain ordered the flag run up halfway on the 
staff, on account of the death of some one.” 

After some hours spent in finding a suitable 
branch of a dead tree, and laboriously ridding it of 
the twigs and branches, the improvised flag was 
tied to the pole midway between its ends, and 
carried to the highest point. A hole was hollowed 
out, to receive the pole, and stone was built up 
around it to hold it in position. 

Thereafter the daily, if not hourly practice, un- 
less they were too busy, was to make a pilgrimage 
to Observation Hill, as they called it. 

During the next few days they made several 
short journeys a few miles inland, and it was their 
custom at all times while they were on these tours 
to take mental notes of everything they saw which 
was new or out of the ordinary. The Professor 
cultivated the habit of observing even the smallest 
things; the formation, shape and color of the 


FIRST HOME ON THE ISLAND 53 


rocks; the inclination and direction of the hills; 
the character of the soil; the particular growths, 
such as vegetables, shrubs, flowers and trees; the 
birds, their plumage; insects and other living 
specimens, and he endeavored to instil this not 
by direct efforts, but by way of their own intui- 
tions, as the needs and the requirements of their 
daily life demanded. 

Returning from Observation Hill on one occa- 
sion George took particular pains to gather a 
large bouquet of flowers, principally a species of 
the white daisy, and a yellow flower, not unlike 
many of those found in the fields all over the 
United States. One blue flower, very small, of 
which each stem carried quite a cluster, particu- 
larly attracted his attention, and the bouquet was 
largely made up of this variety. 

‘^This is something we ought to use as a center- 
piece for the table of our dining-room,” said 
George, with a sly smile. 

The Professor said nothing about the blue 
flower. 


CHAPTEE IV 

THE QUEST FOR FOOD 

The following day a council was called. The 
Professor was regaining strength and George’s 
wounds were mending, so that it was concluded, 
after full consideration, that before making fur- 
ther explorations, or running any risks, the home 
should be made as secure and comfortable as pos- 
sible. They also decided to search for and collect 
provisions, of which they now stood in need. 

“As I have been so successful in the hunting 
line, ril look up some more food, if the Professor 
so orders,” said George. 

“I could not order you to do so,” answered the 
Professor ; “but you are adapted for that sort of 
work, and I therefore gladly suggest that you 
should make that your task.” 

Harry for the first time showed that he was 
annoyed. The Professor’s keen eye noticed it. 

“The spirit which tries to dig down into things 
and find out about them is a great gift. I am glad 
to see you possess it, George. But there is also 
another spirit possessed by other men, which takes 
the things that have been discovered and utilizes 
them. You, Harry, possess that trait.” 

“Which is the greater of the two !” inquired 
George. 

“You cannot compare greatness in such a 
case.” 


54 


55 


QUEST FOR FOOD 

^‘But who is the more valuable to the world 

“One is just as important as the other, because 
one without the other would be useless. For in- 
stance, the discoverer of the electromagnet had 
no idea that the magnet would enable man to 
make a dynamo. It remained for the experi- 
menter and the practiced worker to demonstrate 
that. In the progress of the world these two 
factors had to work side by side — one discover- 
ing a hidden fact, and the other using it in a 
practical way in the workshop, the field or the 
mine.” 

“Then I suppose I am the theorist,” said George. 

“Yes, and you, Harry, are the practical man 
in our enterprise. You know George is, gener- 
ally, the one to ask the questions, and Harry is 
always ready to make the things needed for our 
wants. With such a combination no enterprise 
can fail.” 

George started on his mission with pride and 
confidence. Harry, for his part, certainly needed 
no other impetus to stimulate him. He was the 
builder, and he knew it and felt its influence. 

But to be a builder — to make things out of the 
materials which were all about him, without a 
tool or implement of any kind, was indeed a task 
which might discourage the stoutest heart. 

George^s quest on this day led him up among 
the hills beyond their habitation and in the direc- 
tion of the forest which lay beyond. Here he was 
rewarded by the sight of nut-bearing trees, and 
great was his delight when he recognized a species 
of nut like the walnut, which at this season of the 


56 


THE CASTAWAYS 


year was still green and undeveloped. What in- 
terested him most was a large globe-shaped nut, 
four inches in diameter, which he picked up and 
attempted to break. All his efforts were resisted, 
because he could use only one hand. Finally, he 
threw it away in disgust. 

As he proceeded further up the hillside he was 
rewarded by the signs of berries, of which he 
gathered a goodly quantity. 

On his return he saw many trees laden with 
the large, round nuts, and after selecting one as 
a sample, found a stone, which he carried to his 
companions. 

‘What luck?” exclaimed Harry; and George ex- 
hibited his samples of berries. 

‘T have something here which may be of some 
use, if Harry will break it open.” 

The Professor’s eyes kindled. “And why did 
you bring that stone?” 

“Because I thought it might be useful in break- 
ing the nut.” 

“I suppose you are curious to know what it is ?” 

“By all means,” cried both of the boys. 

“It looks like the castanha, a species of Bra- 
zilian nut.” 

“I never saw a Brazil nut as large as this.” 

“Assuredly not; the thick shell is merely the 
outer coating of the nuts themselves. Here, 
Harry, see if you can break it.” 

Harry took the stone, and was about to crush 
the nut, when the Professor seized his hand and 
grasped the stone. 

“Where did you find this?” 


57 


QUEST FOE FOOD 

“On the hillside.” 

“Well, you are in luck to-day.” 

“What is it, Professor!” 

“A grindstone.” 

“A grindstone!” exclaimed both of the boys^ 
and Harry danced with delight. 

“Now, let us proceed in an orderly manner; 
crack the nut, Harry.” 

After considerable labor, the thick, hard shell 
began to yield, and as it finally broke apart, the 
interior was found packed full of nuts nested to- 
gether, revealing the form of the well-kno^vn 
Brazil nut. When first taken from the outer shell, 
before they are fully matured, as was the case 
with this sample, they are of a dark green color, 
but they soon turn to a chocolate brown. 

“These are early nuts, but not yet ripe, but 
most of them mature or ripen after they are taken 
from the tree.” 

“We can use the shells for cups,” said Harry, 
with eagerness. “It will be fun to shape them 
up.” 

“A very nice job it will be without tools,” was 
George’s comment. 

With a smile, the Professor picked up the stone. 
“Harry can no doubt sharpen the clam shells with 
this. I need not say to you that observation is 
a trait which is not fostered by many people. To 
the true investigator the smallest thing may have 
the most tremendous possibilities. No doubt 
hundreds and thousands of people had noticed 
steam coming from the spouts of kettles before 
Watts saw it. What they saw was of no value 


58 


THE CASTAWAYS 


to them or to the world until Watts began to turn 
his ideas into practical use. So, you see, obser- 
vation alone is of no value.” 

“But why does this stone, which is so much 
softer than iron, really cut away the iron!” 

“There are substances held in the soft material 
of the stone y^hich are much harder than iron or 
steel.” 

“What are the hard substances?” 

“Some stones have fine particles of glass, or 
silicate. This sample is known as “Millstone 
grit,” and it is usually the true bed of coal in the 
hills where it is found. It is often in layers with 
shale or slate and clay. If you have found such 
a seam we might form a company to work it.” 

The boys laughed at the idea, but the Professor 
seemed to be serious, and the boys awaited fur- 
ther information. 

“You may well laugh at the statement, but our 
mine may be of immense importance to us in the 
future.” 

“But isn’t it pretty hard to shape up the stones 
which have such hard things in them?” 

“It isn’t hard when one stone is so arranged as 
to cut another stone.” 

“And how is that done?” 

“Two large stones are set to revolving in con- 
tact with each other, so that there is very much 
friction, one stone being made to turn a little 
faster than the other, and in this way they mu- 
tually wear each other away.” 

“Is that the way all stones are made ?” 

“No; most grindstones are now made arti- 


59 


QUEST FOR FOOD 

ficially. Ruby, one of the precious stones, is 
found, in the form of sand, in the mountains of 
North Carolina and in many other places, and is 
used with a cement or other binder which hardens. 
As ruby is next in hardness to the diamond, it 
will grind or polish any of the metals.” 

“Do all the other precious stones make good 
grinders 

“What you call the other precious stones are 
all of the same kind, but vary simply in color and 
in hardness. There are sapphires which are blue ; 
the amethysts which are violet; and the yellow 
topaz. The common names used for these finely 
divided and sand-like forms of th^ gems are co- 
rundum and emery.” 

But Harry couldn’t long remain idle after the 
idea of the grindstone had been fully absorbed. 

The clams, of which they now had an abun- 
dance, were, many of them, large specimens, the 
shells being thick and heavy. The first thought 
that came to Harry was to fashion some of the 
shells into knife-like tools, and although this re- 
quired an immense amount of effort, it served 
their purpose in cutting small pieces of wood. 
After he and George had made several trips to 
their mine, they were able to bring home several 
samples of large, gritty stone, and with these they, 
succeeded in making several ax-shaped blades, to 
which, after some experimenting, wooden handles 
were fixed. 

To do this they were compelled to unravel the 
skirt of one of the coats so as to get enough cord 
to tie the hatchets fast to the handles. 


60 


THE CASTAWAYS 


Their articles of food now included not only 
clams, but vegetables, of which George had found 
•only a limited variety, and berries, but no other 
fruit was yet available. 

In one of George’s wanderings he gathered the 
courage to make a more extended trip. Care- 
fully avoiding the forest, he was surprised to find 
,a stream, about three miles from their home, to 
the south, which was fully a hundred feet in 
width. On approaching he descended the hill and 
when he had gained the lower level he found the 
approach marshy and covered by a peculiar bush, 
which had beautiful green leaves with saw-tooth 
edges, and which terminated in a long, sharp- 
pointed end. He attempted to break off one of 
the stems, which carried at its top several dozens 
of thickly clustered leaves, but was unable to do 
so, until he finally succeeded in severing it with 
his shell knife. He had scarcely secured his 
trophy when he was startled by the movement of 
some large object less than fifty feet away, which 
moved the brush from side to side and emitted 
an unfamiliar sound. 

George was stupefied with fear. He was afraid 
to move and thus reveal himself, so he quietly 
sank down, while the unmistakable movement 
of the animal appeared nearer than before. A 
rustle at his side also startled him. It was a 
large greenish-brown snake. The sight so fright- 
ened him that he started back, and in doing 
so grasped the bush to prevent falling as the 
snake glided away. At that instant the move- 
ment of the animal ceased. Peering cautiously in 


61 


QUEST FOR FOOD 

the direction of the threatened danger he was 
able to get a view of a portion of the beast, and 
almost involuntarily he shrieked. The cry so 
alarmed the animal that, with a bound, it turned 
and fled before he could discover its nature. 
The tall underbrush prevented his following its 
movements. In great agitation, his limbs almost 
paralyzed, he started for the slope, looking back 
in momentary expectation of pursuit. When he 
reached the summit, and had somewhat recovered 
from his fright, he started for home as fast as 
he could run. 

After traveling a long distance, certainly far 
enough, as he thought, to come within sight of the 
home, he stopped. The hills were rugged, but 
everything appeared unfamiliar. He passed ob- 
jects which he had not seen before, and then tried 
to get his bearings, wandering first in one direc- 
tion, then in another. He retraced his steps, or 
tried to, and after what seemed hours to him, it 
flashed upon him that he was lost. 

The animal which caused all the trouble was 
the first he had seen, and was evidence that they 
had dangers to contend with in that direction at 
least. The ocean could not be seen from that 
point, and in his perturbed state he was unable to 
decide the direction he should take or what course 
to follow. He had the instinct to know that the 
river must flow to the sea, but the direction of the 
river was as great a mystery as the location of 
the home. The sun otfered no guidance, and hour 
after hour of wandering followed, until hunger 
]"egan to warn him. 


62 


THE CASTAWAYS 


Meanwhile the Professor and Harry spent the 
time anxiously awaiting his return, and midday 
passed without any tidings. ^‘You must search 
for him, Harry; he may be lost or injured. Let 
me warn you, before leaving : take bearings of the 
position of the sun and the direction the shadow 
falls. Be careful to note hot only the formation 
of the land, but of objects which you meet; but 
turn about and examine them after you have 
passed them. You will find that they do not look 
the same from both viewpoints.” 

^‘Do you know the direction George tookf’ 

‘T am not certain, but it seems to me that he 
went toward the forest.” 

Without further words, Harry grasped one of 
the large clam hatchets and speedily gained the 
summit of the nearest hill, to the left of which 
was rolling and uneven ground, and to the right 
the forest. Carefully noting the sun, the forest 
and their home, he ran down the incline and began 
the ascent of the next incline. Beyond was a 
rugged line of hills with white and brown streaks, 
a plain enough object for him to note mentally. In 
the ravine was a small stream of water, which he 
crossed, and he then passed by the white and 
brown bank formation. The underbrush now in- 
creased in thickness and many unfamiliar bushes 
and shrubs arrested his attention. 

The forest was now to his right and the sun 
was still at his right shoulder. Fully an hour 
passed by, and still no sign of George. 

George, fully exhausted, lay down on a ridge, 
below which he could now see the floating stream. 


63 


QUEST FOR FOOD 

His heart leaped with joy. He knew the little 
stream must flow to the sea, or to the stream 
which would go to the sea, and he bounded down 
the slope, first to quench his thirst and then to 
follow the stream to the sea. 

As he was about to drink, he saw in the soft 
soil at the water’s edge a footprint unlike his own. 
It was unmistakable. He looked at the prints 
again. This was a shock to him, but curiosity 
prompted him to follow the steps until he lost 
the traces, then he turned in the opposite direc- 
tion and followed the course of the stream in its 
windings. While thus moving down the stream 
he heard a cry, the call of a human voice. He 
heard his own name, and with an exultant shout 
he answered. 

‘Where have you been?” was Harry’s eager 
question. 

“Where am I?” was George’s only answer as 
Harry rushed up. 

“You are not far from home.” 

“Oh, I would have made it,” responded George, 
ashamed to admit he had been lost. 

“But if you were not lost, why did you ask 
where you were? But where is your hatchet? I 
thought you took one with you.” 

“So I did.” He had forgotten its loss, but he 
was eager to relate the encounter with the animal 
and the snake. It was there he lost the hatchet 
and the sample of shrub. But here, all around, 
he saw the same plants with the bunches of ser- 
rated leaves. 

“Look here, Harry, this is the funny looking 


64 THE CASTAWAYS 

weed I told you about at the time I saw the 
animal/’ 

A sample was cut off, and as they started for 
home they again passed the brown and white cliff. 

^T wonder what that can be!” said George. 

“Mud, I suppose,” was Harry’s retort. 

But this did not deter George. “Wait until I 
get some of it.” And springing up the bank, with 
the aid of Harry’s hatchet a good sample was pro- 
cured. 

In less than half an hour the boys reached 
home, to the great relief of the Professor. 

“Yes, I suppose I was lost,” was the final ad- 
mission of George. 

“And lost near home,” said Harry. 

George detailed his experiences in full, and 
after he had partaken of some food, the Professor 
took occasion to give him the advice which he. had 
previously given Harry early in the day. 

“You should know, boys, that the adventurer 
in an unknown land must, for his own protection, 
know his position at all times. It is so with the 
chemist, who must be able to follow back experi- 
mentally each advance he makes. A landmark by 
itself may look the same from any direction, but 
the surrounding objects make it appear variable 
from different standpoints. Amazing discoveries 
have been made by lost explorers in the sciences, 
as well as by adventurers on land and sea. Being 
lost is not, therefore, the worst of calamities.” 

“But I don’t suppose I was really lost,” said 
George. “I was confused, and ” 

“No, I suppose not,” said the Professor, with a 


65 


QUEST FOR FOOD 

smile. ‘Tou were probably, like the Indian who, 
when asked if he was lost, replied, ‘No, wigwam 
lost.’ That idea is not a bad one, though coming 
from a savage. To the true adventurer or sci- 
entist the object is always the lost element. Man 
is only discovering himself.” 

‘T wonder what that animal was,” inquired 
Harry. “We must be ready to defend ourselves, 
and now that we have made a beginning with 
some tools, we ought to make some weapons.” 

“I leave that to your ingenuity, Harry.” 

“Then we can at least make some bows and 
arrows.” 

“I hope we can commence making them to- 
morrow.” 

“But what can we use for the strings of the 
bows? I am afraid our clothing won’t hold out, 
even if they make a cord strong enough to stand 
the strain.” 

Apparently the Professor anticipated the ques- 
tion, as he picked up the sample of weed which 
George had brought. 

“Why wouldn’t this do for the strings?” 

You may be sure that by this time the boys 
were not disposed to laugh at the seemingly ab- 
surd remark. 

“I am glad that your disposition to learn things 
has induced you to bring this home.” 

“Is it really a valuable plant?” 

“Yes; it is the ramie plant.” 

“What is it good for?” 

“To make strings from. It is a fiber plant, 
probably the most wonderful of its kind in the 


66 


THE CASTAWAYS 


world. The stems resemble hemp in length and 
thickness, and in fineness it is the rival of flax. 
Jute is the only fiber which has a silken luster 
like the ramie.” 

‘T know what flax is, but what is hemp!” 

‘‘Hemp is a native of Asia. It is an annual 
crop — that is, it must be sown each year, like 
wheat It doesn’t look unlike flax and is very 
tough and strong, being used in the manufacture 
of rope, such as the one we unfortunately lost.” 

“But isn’t jute the same thing!” 

“No ; jute is a native of Bengal. It requires a 
very warm climate. It is so fine and glossy that 
it is used to mix with silk, but is not good for 
ropes. Most gunny bags are made from jute.” 

“Then we can make use of the ramie, if it can 
be put into shape!” 

“Yes ; it will be the most serviceable of all fibers, 
because it seems to be unaffected by moisture, so 
it will be useful for clothing, if we can find a way 
to weave it.” 

“And what is this. Professor! It is another 
one of our finds.” 

“Just common clay.” 

Harry laughed, and George’s countenance 
changed. He had lugged some of the stuff Harry 
called “mud” a long distance to no purpose. 

“Don’t infer that we cannot make any use of 
it. Before we are through with Mr. “Mud” you 
will change your opinion as to his usefulness. 
Clay of this kind is a signpost that we ought to 
read. It is an indication of something beyond.” 


67 


QUEST FOE FOOD 

‘‘What do you mean?” 

“I mean that all clays have their characteris- 
tics which point to some other substances. It may 
indicate the presence of iron, or it may be in the 
form of a clay slate, and it may also indicate the 
vicinity of mica, which would indeed be a good 
thing as a substitute for window glass. It might 
come handy in many other ways that the future 
will tell about.” 

‘^Well, can’t we use this for making brick?” 

‘Uood idea,” said George. 

‘‘That is worth considering, but the clay looks 
a little suspicious,” was the Professor’s remark, 
as he carefully examined the sample. “I am 
afraid this clay has calcium in it.” 

“What is calcium?” 

“It is lime.” 

“Does that make it useless?” 

“Well, yes, if there is much of it there, as, 
in burning, the lime fuses and forms gas bub- 
bles, and so destroys the form of the brick 
and makes it crack. Did the bank show white 
streaks ?” 

“Yes; that’s what made it look so peculiar. I 
wouldn’t have noticed it otherwise.” 

“Then, as we can’t make any test with acids, 
we may safely conclude that it is lime.” This 
ended the discussion. 

Night approached, and weary with the day’s 
adventures the boys retired. 

Early the next morning the usual daily con- 
ference was held, and Harry set about his task 
of making weapons. George volunteered to get 


68 


THE CASTAWAYS 


a supply of tlie ramie plant, and on returning cut 
oif the tops, under the direction of the Professor, 
and he was then told to collect the stalks and put 
them into water. 

‘^Now here is the first use of your clay. It is 
well suited as a lining for a little reservoir.” 

This necessitated another trip for the clay. 

‘^What is the object of putting the stalks in 
water?” 

‘^Because, when the stalks are thoroughly satu- 
rated with water, or moistened, the water is drawn 
otf and the stems are allowed to rot.” 

^^But doesnT that destroy the fiber part?” 

^Tt would if we allowed it to remain too long. 
The woody structure of the stalk has more or less 
starch in it, and that first begins to disintegrate 
or fall apart.” 

^‘How long will this take?” 

‘‘That depends on the conditions. Warm water 
will hasten the process. But it will take some 
days to do the work.” 

Harry was disappointed. 

“It is well worth the while. There will be 
plenty of work to do in the meantime. We have 
been so busy taking care of ourselves and trying 
to get something to eat that we have neglected 
learning some things that will contribute to our 
safety.” 

“That’s the reason why I was so anxious to 
make the bows and arrows,” said Harry. 

“Quite true; hut there are other things besides 
weapons that we must have and find out about 
in order to protect ourselves.” 


69 


QUEST FOR FOOD 

‘^WFat do you mean by that?” 

‘^One thing is, I am not satisfied with the water 
which we are using. Then the fact that George 
lost himself, or lost us yesterday, was a warning 
that we must be able to find out where we are, or 
in what direction we are going, without depend- 
ing on rocks or trees to guide us. You know sail- 
ors have no marks on the seas to guide them. 
Why, we don’t even know the true north and 
south where we are.” 

“Then why not find out at once?” 

“Because it will take at least twelve hours to 
do that.” 

“And why?” 

“Because we haven’t any instruments, and we 
must make them.” 

George and Harry had both seen the delicate 
and intricate devices used on shipboard to ascer- 
tain their location, and they could hardly believe 
it possible that the Professor would undertake to 
make such instruments. 

“How shall we begin?” 

“We must select a spot that is level and which 
will give us a good view of the rising and setting 
sun.” 

“Oh, yes, I know how to do it. A shadow at 
noon points to the north pole.” 

“No; to the south pole where we are,” said 
George. 

“But,” answered the Professor, “how are you 
going to tell when it is noon, as we have no time- 
piece? We want to know the true north and 
south so we can determine from that the true time 


70 


THE CASTAWAYS 


at any period in the day or the night. Now, 
Harry, if you will prepare four stakes we will 
find our observation ground.” 

The hoys were eager to prepare the imple- 
ments, but he added, ‘‘We must wait until the sun 
goes down.” 

As it neared the time for the sun to set, the 
Professor asked whether either of them had a 
measuring line, but there was nothing of that 
character available. 

“Without a measuring rule of some kind we 
can do nothing. You now see that such a simple 
thing as lack of a measure may defeat our enter- 
prise. A measuring device of some kind is used 
in every field of human activity. If people did 
not have the quart or the pound, or the foot meas- 
ure, the commerce of a nation would stand still. 
There would be barter and sale, but there would 
be constant confusion and turmoil. The sciences 
have advanced a thousand years in the last one 
hundred years, because in every department of 
knowledge some sort of yardstick has been de- 
vised.” 

“CanT we make our own measure ?” 

“Certainly; but why not make it reasonably 
accurate?” 

“How long is a foot?” 

“As long as a man’s foot.” 

“How long is a man’s foot?” 

“In the different European countries, before 
the introduction of the metric system, the foot 
measure varied from nine to twenty-one inches.” 

“It is not accurate, then?” 


QUEST FOB FOOD 71 

“No ; and for that reason the metric system was 
introduced.” 

“What is the metric system?” 

“It is an absolute measure.” 

“By what is it measured?” 

“By the circumference of the earth itself. That 
is something which does not change. One-quarter 
of the distance around the earth is cut up into 
10,000,000 parts and each part is found to be a 
little over thirty-nine and one-third of our inches, 
or three and one-third inches longer than our 
yard.” 

“But I have an idea,” said Harry. “I measure 
just five feet and three inches, or I did three 
months ago, so we can make a stick as long as I 
am and it will be pretty close.” 

“Of course, Harry, that makes you sixty-five 
inches high. Suppose we mark up the stick into 
sixty-five spaces, which will give us the length 
of an inch, and twelve of the inches will make a 
foot,” observed George. 

“That is a good suggestion,” said the Professor. 
“Later we shall verify that by another standard, 
as I measure five feet eleven inches.” 

The sun was setting low when they reached the 
testing grounds. 

“Now, Harry, drive in the first stake, and let 
George station himself there. I am now going to 
mark the direction in the sand, so you will know 
how to proceed.” 

The Professor then prepared a drawing so as 
to explain the method: 


72 


THE CASTAWAYS 


In the drawing (Fig. 6), A is the first stake 
driven by Harry. 

‘^Now, Harry, go toward the sun and let us 
measure off, accurately, fifty feet, while George 
sights from his stake to the sun, and when it is 



Finding the True North 


exactly in line with the sun, drive in the stake 
there at the end of the fifty-foot measure.” 
Harry did so. 

‘We have now finished our task for the night. 
Early in the morning, before the sun is up, we 
must be here to drive another stake.” 


73 


QUEST FOR FOOD 

They then discontinued work for the night. 

Early the following day, before the morning 
sun had a chance to appear, the boys were at 
hand and awaited the Professor. 

“I see you are interested,” was his first greeting. 

“Yes, and we have the stake ready.” 

“What, only one stake? We must have two 
this morning.” 

George was about to run after it, but the Pro- 
fessor restrained him. 

“The sun is just coming up. Measure out 
fifty feet toward the sun, and let me direct you 
where to place it — there, now drive it in. You 
will see that my drawing (Fig. 6) shows at C 
the location of this stake. Now look across from 
this stake C to the stake B, and you will see that 
the stake A is to one side of the line. That gives 
an angle which shows the position of the sun, or 
its arc of measurement from the equator. Now 
for the other stake. WTiile George is getting it, 
you and I, Harry, will measure out one hundred 
feet southward from the two stakes, B and C, so 
as to get a meeting point of the two measure- 
ments, and mark the spot.” 

“Here’s the stake.” 

When it had been driven in and marked D, the 
Professor asked what the three stakes, B, C, D, 
represented. George was quick to answer: 

“A triangle.” 

“Yes; an equilateral triangle, with its apex to 
the north.” 

“No, no; to the south,” was George’s quick 
correction. 


74 


THE CASTAWAYS 


‘‘Very true. But now, how can we tell where 
the true north and south are by the triangle!^’ 
was the Professor’s inquiry. 

“I see the object of the four stakes now. As 
the first stake is midway between stakes B and 
C, a line, like E, from D to A, will be the true 
north and south.” 

“Yes; and a line, F, from B to C, is the base or 
meridian line, or the true east and west.” 


CHAPTEE V 

THE VENOMOUS SNAKES 

The entire day was spent by the boys in cut- 
ting poles and conveying them to their temporary 
quarters. By a great deal of exertion they suc- 
ceeded in building an additional room and in 
tamping down a good, hard clay floor. Their 
efforts were then directed toward making the 
roof impervious to water, in anticipation of heavy 
rains. 

They had been fortunate in having mild 
weather, and experienced only a few slight show- 
ers during their stay in the improvised house; 
and while they knew that their present home must 
sooner or later be supplanted by something bet- 
ter, the Professor urged them to get it into good 
condition during the time they were recuperating, 
rather than to remain idle. 

He, no less than the boys, began to feel a keen 
interest in their surroundings, and as his health 
had now improved so wonderfully that he was 
able to take long walks each day, we may be 
sure his fertile mind was active during his 
rumblings. 

One evening, while engaged in the usual discus- 
sions, George said: 

^Trofessor, you once said that any floating ob- 
ject, when it comes near land, will always go to 
the shore. Do you mean that the land attracts it 
75 


76 


THE CASTAWAYS 


“No; the land does not attract an object,” 

“But beaches everywhere are covered with 
things that are carried there by the sea.” 

“I think I can explain that,” said Harry. “The 
waves carry them to land.” 

“Do you then think that the waves move along?” 

“Yes; I have seen them move.” 

“You are mistaken; waves do not move in such 
a manner as to carry an object along on the sur- 
face of the water.” 

“But they seem to move in that way.” 

“Waves are impulses which move up and down 
only. A cork thrown on water will simply bob 
up and down, as the boys say, unless driven along 
by the wind.” 

“Then it is the wind which carries them 
ashore?” 

“A floating object on the lee side of a shore, or 
in the sea near a shore with the wind blowing 
from the land, will move it toward the shore, di- 
rectly against the wind. How do you account for 
that?” 

“I cannot account for it.” 

“Then I will tell you. The land slopes down 
into the sea, making an inclined shelf, as it were. 
Waves are mere surface agitations, and the nearer 
these waves are to the extreme shore line, the 
more boisterous they become. The waves have a 
tendency to maintain their up-and-down motion, 
but are finally arrested by the beach and thrown 
back, so that, as their oscillations continue unceas- 
ingly, they must go back, and in doing so they 
crawl down the sloping beach, the water return- 


THE VENOMOUS SNAKES 77 

ing under the oncoming waves, as it were, pro- 
ducing a kind of undertow. 

^^This undertow sets up a motion of the surface 
water toward the land, and the undertow goes 
back to sea along the shelving bottom. When the 
tide is ebbing this undertow is very dangerous.” 

‘^Oh, yes ; I have heard of people being carried 
out to sea by the undertow, and I now understand 
what it is.” 

^^So you may fully get this in your mind, I show 
you a sketch (Fig. 7), in which A is the sloping 
beach line and B the waving surface of the sea. 



Why Floating Objects Land 


The dart C shows how the water is running down 
the bed of the ocean, and returning, as the dart D 
indicates, toward land, and thereby carrying ob- 
jects with it.” 

“But is that so when the tide goes out as well 
as when it is coming in?” 

“Yes, and for this reason: A column of sea 
water, one inch square, weighs one pound for 
every twenty-six inches in height, so water rest- 
ing on the bottom, where it is deep, exerts a great 
pressure downwardly, and produces a powerful 
influence at the bottom to push the water down 
the incline and out to sea. When the tide moves 


78 


THE CASTAWAYS 


from the land the bottom layer of water is really 
displaced, or pulled away first.” 

^‘And now, Professor, while we are on the sub- 
ject, you told us, some days ago, while we were 
talking about the water, that you were suspicious 
about the kind we were using. Do you think it is 
bad water!” 

^^No, because the source seems to be all right. 
I do not think it is unhealthful, except that it is 
a hard water.” 

“I have often heard that expression used. 
What does ‘hard^ water mean!” 

^Tt is water that contains calcium, the same sub- 
stance we found in your samples of clay.” 
know; you mean lime.” 

^Tf hard water is taken in excess it affects the 
arteries by coating them with lime, so that the 
nutriment carried by the blood from the heart 
cannot be absorbed through this lime coating, and 
the result is disease.” 

wish we could build our house near a good 
spring — that is, if we cannot find good water or 
provide a way to treat it.” 

“For our present purposes, simple boiling of 
the water is sufficient. If it contains a large per- 
centage of lime, the water will appear milky just 
before it begins to boil.” 

“I have noticed that with our water here, par- 
ticularly since we finished the last slate boiler 
which we made,” said George. 

“Hard water does not saponify — that is, the 
lime prevents the water from turning into soap.” 

“I wish we had some soap.” 


THE VENOMOUS SNAKES 79 

“Then we must find means to make it. Let that 
be one of our first tasks.^’ 

“What do we need, Professor 

“Fat and lye.’’ 

“That is where our bows and arrows will come 
in handily,” said Harry. 

When the boys awoke the next morning they 
were informed by the Professor that the ramie 
had been sufficiently decomposed so they might 
recover the fiber from it. The stalks were taken 
out carefully and laid on one of the slate slabs 
and dried in the sun, after which it was beaten. 
The boys had the pleasure of seeing the woody 
part of the stalks break up, so that it could be 
blown away. 

“This is called breaking’ it; and now, as we 
have freed it from the wood, it must be combed. 
It likes to be caressed, and it grows glossy. See 
how it shines as you stroke itf’ 

“What beautiful threads! Is it now ready to 
twist?” 

“Yes; as soon as you like.” 

The Professor then showed how, by twisting 
and adding a few threads at each turn, a long 
thread was finally made, which was tightly wound 
on a round spool of wood. 

“Is it necessary to wind it this way?” 

“The principal object in winding it is to set the 
twists which we have made.” 

“Oh, yes; so it will not unwind when we need 
to use it.” 

The boys had previously fashioned a number of 
bows from the dried limbs of such trees as they 


80 


THE CASTAWAYS 


were able to find, and for arrows they discovered 
a reed, exceedingly tough, for which they had 
ground a quantity of shell tips. 

They were instructed how to fill the hollow end 
of the reed, behind the shell tip, with clay, so as 
to give it added weight, and the forward end of 
the arrow would thus be heavier than the tail. 

They were surprised and delighted at the won- 
derful strength of the ramie cord. Each day they 
practiced with the weapons, using a target of 
leaves, which they had made up loosely to pro- 
tect and save the arrows. 

Thus, by constant practice, day after day, they 
became skillful archers, until finally they could hit 
a target at a distance of one hundred feet with 
fair accuracy. 

‘Tf our militia is now fully equipped, we might 
form an expedition of conquest,” said the Pro- 
fessor one evening. 

This was a welcome suggestion. ‘^CanT we 
start in the morning?” asked Harry. 

^Tf we can get ready. But we need provisions 
for several days at least, and our house must be 
closed up ; when that is done, if you have sufficient 
ammunition, in the shape of arrows, we may 
start.” 

George’s arm had now completely healed, and 
the Professor was enjoying better health, as he 
expressed it, than he had experienced for years. 

During the day Harry devoted much of the 
time to making arrows and assembling them into 
convenient packages. George gathered a quan- 
tity of vegetables, as well as nuts, the latter of 


THE VENOMOUS SNAKES 


81 


which had the kernels removed so as to save 
weight, as they expected to be able to gather fruit 
along their route. 

In all these preparations the ramie cords which 
they had manufactured, and of which they now 
had quite a supply, were of the greatest value to 
them. Without fabric of any kind by which they 
could form carrying receptacles, a goodly supply 
of cord was an admirable substitute. 

The articles were made up into two bundles, 
but the Professor insisted upon carrying his 
share. Thus prepared they selected a day which 
opened clear and calm, and the little expedition 
started for the interior in search of adventure 
and with a view of exploring their adopted 
country. 

It was decided to follow the course of the sun 
v^estward, which would bring them into what ap- 
peared to be the higher portion of the island. 
They traveled slowly, examining every ravine and 
hillside, making detours, so as t-o be able to in- 
vestigate the character of the shrubs and trees 
which grew on every side. 

Before noon they saw a great variety of trees, 
but the most noticeable of these were what ap- 
peared to be palms, with tall, thick trunks and 
bunched, fem-like tops. These attracted the boys’ 
attention for some time before inquiring about 
them. 

It had been the Professor’s custom not to bring 
out any features of information directly until the 
boys called for explanations. He believed such a 


82 


THE CASTAWAYS 


course to be of greater advantage, as it would 
cultivate a spirit of research. 

‘‘What kind of trees are those, Professor 
asked George, who had kept silent for some time. 

“That is the sago-palm.” 

Both boys then eagerly began the questionings. 

“When does the sago seed ripen?” 

“It never ripens ; because what you have seen 
is not seed.” 

“But what makes it look like little grains?” 

“The trunk of the tree is grated — that is, the 
inner or pith portion and the starchy or white 
matter is washed from it. It is then dried and 
ground up into a flour.” 

“Can’t we do that?” 

“Certainly; with the proper apparatus we can 
do anything.” 

“How easy it is to cut,” said George, trying a 
few hacks into the tree. 

“The flour thus made is formed into a paste 
and pressed through coarse sieves, so as to make 
the pearly grains which you mistook for seed,” 
resumed the Professor. 

“I have seen so many of these plants every- 
where,” said George, pointing to a bush, about two 
feet high, which had at the top of each stem a 
hand with six leaves like radiating fingers. 

“Dig it up, and let us see what it is like. Dig 
deeply, so you will get all of the roots.” 

The boys carefully removed the earth and were 
surprised to find several large bulbous roots. 

“Sweet potatoes!” exclaimed Harry. 

“No; they are the Cassave, a good substitute 


THE VENOMOUS SNAKES 


83 


for potatoes, and it is now being introduced ex- 
tensively throughout the United States. It is the 
finest food in the world for stock.^’ 

‘T never heard of it before.’^ 

“I think you have eaten it frequently.” 

“What does it taste like!” 

“Exactly like tapioca.” 

“And is tapioca made from the Cassave!” 

“Yes; the root is dried, while moist, on hot 
plates. The heat causes the starch to expand so 
the whole root breaks up. When this is put into 
water and boiled, it swells and form a jelly, which 
is the tapioca as we know it. When the root is 
dried and ground it makes an excellent flour or 
meal.” 

“What is that animal there!” asked Harry, 
breathlessly, pointing doAvn the incline. 

Surely enough, there was a small animal calmly 
surveying the party, and Harry, with the instincts 
of a hunter, cautiously stole forward on hands 
and knees in the direction of the animal, shielding 
himself behind a clump of bushes. 

Before reaching the bush he sprang up with a 
cry of pain and, dropping the bow, held up his 
hand. The Professor sprang forward, just as a 
snake glided away. 

“Catch the snake, George. We must see 
whether it is venomous or not.” Despite George’s 
etforts, it escaped him. 

Two well-defined punctures appeared in Har- 
ry’s wrist, from which a little blood flowed, and 
the Professor, with an ominous shake of the head, 
directed George to bring some cord at once. After 


84 


THE CASTAWAYS 


binding some leaves around the arm, between the 
wound and the elbow, he wrapped cord around 
the leaves so as to make a tight band. The next 
step was to cut a cross through the skin across 
the punctures. 

“Why do you put the band around the arm in 
that way?” asked George. 

“To prevent the poisoned blood from being car- 
ried back to the heart.” 

“But will that pressure prevent the blood on 
the inside of the arm from flowing back?” 

“The veins which carry the blood back to the 
heart are near the surface of the body; but the 
arteries, which bring the blood from the heart, lie 
further within, and are, therefore, protected in a 
great measure. And now keep in motion, Harry, 
while I search for some medicine,” continued the 
Professor, as he hurriedly left them. 

In a brief space of time he returned, holding in 
his hand a small plant, with roots attached, which 
looked like small parsnips with scales on them. 
He removed the scales from a portion of one of 
them, crushed the pulp, and applied it to the 
wound. 

“We might keep some of these bulbs for break- 
fast,” he remarked. 

“What are they?” 

“Arrowroot. Don’t you see that the shape of 
each leaf is just like an arrow is, or ought to be? 
But there is another reason for calling it ^arrow- 
root.’ The raw root is used by the Indians for 
extracting the venom of poisoned arrows.” 

“What a splendid name!” observed Harry. 


THE VENOMOUS SNAKES 


85 


Within an hour the tightened band was re- 
moved, and the greenish color on the different 
applications of the arrowroot was evidence of the 
fact that the poison had not entered Harry’s 
system. 

^^But my animal got away,” said Harry, griev- 
ously. ^'Wasn’t that too badf’ 

‘‘And so did the snake,” was George’s rejoinder. 

“Yes; if we could have seen the snake we might 
have been able to judge whether it was poisonous 
or not without making such a test as we had,” 
added the Professor. 

“I know the rattlesnake is poisonous,” said 
George, “and I have often seen them, and know 
them by the rattle on the tail.” 

“But,” remarked Harry, “there are many poi- 
sonous snakes which have no rattles. How can 
you tell them from those which are not poi- 
sonous!” 

“There is one characteristic belonging to all of 
the rattlesnake species which are poisonous. All 
have a pit in the head between the nostrils and 
the eye. Non-poisonous snakes are not so marked, 
excepting in the adder species. There are only 
two poisonous species — that is, the rattlesnake 
and the adder.” 

“Was that the reason you wanted me to catch 
the snake!” 

“Yes ; I didn’t think it was a rattlesnake, as they 
never strike without first giving a warning rattle. 
The rattlesnake is very polite. There are few ad- 
ders in the western hemisphere. Their native 
place is Europe. Vipers and asps belong to that 


86 


THE CASTAWAYS 


class, and not to tlie rattlesnake family. The 
viper’s fangs are not grooved like those of the 
rattlesnake.” 

By this time they had reached very broken and 
somewhat elevated hills in which they found in- 
numerable sharply defined and steep peaks. They 
passed along at the bottom of one of the inter- 
vening ravines and at the Professor’s suggestion 
examined the peculiar green outcropping. 

^‘This looks like native copper, and it might be 
well to note this spot, as we may soon have use 
for it,” remarked the Professor as he deposited 
his package and proceeded to make a more careful 
investigation. 

It was only too true. The finding of a ledge of 
free copper would enable them to recover it for 
use without expensive ovens or retorts. 

The forest now appeared to cross their path to 
the west, and it extended far to the north, but 
after some deliberation they determined to pene- 
trate it. 

Numerous springs had been found along their 
route and they had secured an abundance of fruit, 
wild plums, and also a species of wild pear (the 
latter rather bitter) , so there was no danger of a 
famine. 

^^As we progress through the forest, our first 
care must be to keep our reckoning. If we cannot 
see the sun, we must direct and maintain our 
course by observation. By doing so we can make 
a straight path through the forest.” 

^Tf you show us, we will go through the forest 


THE VENOMOUS SNAKES 87 

by making observations, so as to become accus- 
tomed to it when the sun doesnT shine.’’ 

‘‘Did it ever occur to you what the expression 
‘aim in life’ means?” 

“Well, I suppose it means something to strive 
or work for,” answered Harry. 

“I think it means to accomplish something on 
which you have set your mind,” responded George. 

“But what does ‘aim’ mean? Does it merely 
mean purpose or object? What is its meaning in 
archery or gunnery?” 

“To point or to direct the weapon to an object.” 

“Well answered; but how do you aim? Simply 
by pointing th^weapon?” 

“No; by the sights.” 

“Then why not prepare sights as we pass 
through the forest. The sight may be a large or 
peculiarly formed or colored tree, two of such 
being always in line, as we move forwardly. One 
tree, in that case, must always be selected, while 
we have two closer trees in line. Then what next ?” 
asked the Professor. 

There was silence. 

“We must blaze the trees we pass.” 

“How are the trees blazed?” 

“The bark is chopped off the trees along the 
path on two sides, so that you may see the blazed 
tree in either direction. These marks are like 
memory in man. They tell you events. Memory 
is man’s most important faculty; and so are these 
blazed trees the most vital requirements in build- 
ing a path through an unknown forest.” 

Before they had time to select the distant trees 


88 


THE CASTAWAYS 


for observation, the Professor called attention to 
a moving object in the bush, traveling along very 
deliberately. 

“Now, boys, you may have an opportunity prac- 
tically to test your weapons. I cannot see just 
what kind of an animal, but it is evidently not 
much alarmed by our presence.” 

“I think it will be a good scheme,” said George, 
“for us to creep upon it as cautiously as possible, 
so we can both take a shot.” 

“Before doing so, look around for a place of 
retreat. If it should be a vicious animal, you can 
both rush to the spot and thus mutually protect 
each other.” 

“This fallen tree will be better than nothing.” 

“Very well, then,” said the Professor. “I will 
remain here.” 

The boys moved forward carefully, for they 
were now at the margin of the wood, and after 
quite a time had elapsed, Harry crept back cau- 
tiously, and said : “It is a cow. Professor — a real 
cow.” 

He lost little time in following Harry, and when 
they reached the observation point where George 
lay, he made a careful examination of the animal. 

“It is a yak,” he exclaimed. “You are not far 
wide of the mark in calling it a cow. It is differ- 
ent from the Asiatic yak in two particulars. It 
is much smaller than the eastern species and 
doesnT have the long woolly hair which, in the 
yak of Thibet, hangs from its body nearly to the 
ground. It is of the bovine species, like the com- 
mon cow, and is easily domesticated.” 


THE VENOMOUS SNAKES 


89 


‘‘What shall we do, Professor?” 

“You can’t kill the animal with your arrows, and 
it would be of no value to us to injure it. As it is 
a female, we may be able to find its calf. I sug- 
gest that we show ourselves and follow its move- 
ments. If it has companions it will certainly lead 
us to them.” 

Acting on the word, they exhibited themselves, 
and the yak, after noticing them, did not appear 
to be unduly alarmed. It had a pair of horns, 
not unlike the Texas steer, and while the Profes- 
sor assured them it would not be likely to make 
an attack, except in self-defense, they were, never- 
theless, very cautious. The yak continued feeding, 
until they came within less than a hundred feet, 
when it leisurely turned about, and made a circuit 
around them, not even deigning to look back. 

They followed with eagerness, and before pro- 
ceeding far saw at least a dozen more of the ani- 
mals feeding, and among them a number of calves, 
which sight delighted them beyond description. 

“This is one of our discoveries we can take ad- • 
vantage of and turn to good account on our re- 
turn,” remarked the Professor. “For the present 
we must proceed upon the journey mapped out.” 

Again resuming their march, note was taken of 
the trees which would serve as initial guides for 
the trip through the forest. 

Night was now setting in and a search began for 
a suitable camping place. The collapsible water 
flask was still filled, as it was always held in re- 
serve. Harry and George acted as scouts in dif- 
ferent directions, being instructed by the Profes- 


90 


THE CASTAWAYS 


sor to keep the large oak trees in sight. Within 
ten minutes Harry rushed back, carrying what he 
called a groundhog, that he had shot. He was 
fairly dancing with excitement and shouted for 
George, who had also heard the shot and soon 
appeared. 

‘‘And now for a feast,” said he. 

The woodchuck, by which name it is generally 
known, is an animal found in all countries from 
North America to Australia. It belongs to the 
squirrel family, is from twelve to fifteen inches 
long, and its flesh is very palatable. 

“As we need the pelt of the animal, I will skin 
it, if you will select our camp site,” said the Pro- 
fessor. 

“I have found an excellent place,” was George’s 
welcome remark, as he had been guided by their 
former experience in selecting a fallen tree. He 
knew that such a place would, in case of attack, 
offer some security. 

The woodchuck proved a most grateful change 
from their hitherto scanty bill of fare. 

“I am so hungry for meat I can hardly wait,” 
said Harry. 

“It doesn’t seem,” said the Professor, “that meat 
, is an absolute necessity for man. In my own case, 
I have recovered, gained strength, and am now 
more vigorous than I have been for years, with- 
out having eaten any meat for many weeks. It 
seems to show that man, of all animals, is adapted 
to maintain life on either fruit, vegetables, meat 
or fish, and some tribes live on earth, or certain 
clays.” 


CHAPTEE Vl 


THE COMBAT BETWEEN THE BEAKS 

Early the next morning they were astir and 
eagerly prepared for the experience of penetrat- 
ing the forest. During the first two hours they 
made slow progress, as the forest was dense, and 
their course was crossed by two streams, which 
were forded after some delay. They finally 
reached a clearing where there was considerable 
underbrush, and as they emerged from the thick 
wood were startled by the angry bowlings and 
snarlings of wild beasts. 

There was a hurried consultation. Near by 
was what appeared to be a mound, surrounded by 
bushes, which they reached. George sprang to 
the top, peering in the direction of the sounds. 
They deposited the provisions on the mound, and 
cautiously crept forward with the weapons in 
hand, the Professor also being equipped with a 
hatchet and a bow. They had not proceeded very 
far before they saw the outlines of two black ani- 
mals engaged in a fierce combat. 

^^What is it. Professor?” 

^^Bears,” he answered. ^^They are fighting over 
the spoils. If I am not mistaken, they will fur- 
nish us the treat of our lives.” 

They were now rolling over each other, biting, 
clawing, and emitting the peculiar screeching 
grunt so characteristic of the bear when angry. 

91 


92 


THE CASTAWAYS 


The smaller of the two was now by far the most 
active. But the strange feature of the scene was 
the appearance of the bears. They were covered 
with leaves and twigs, so that while, at first, they 
appeared black, they were now completely 
changed. The Professor laughed, and the boys 
joined in. 

“Shall we take a hand!” asked Harry, now wild 
with excitement. 

“No; that is a war to the death. It is one of 
the characteristics of those animals, never to let 
up until one or the other is vanquished.’^ 

“What do you suppose they are fighting forf’ 

“Honey, I imagine. I shall be very much sur- 
prised if we do not find a hive of wild honey some- 
where near at hand.” 

“See, he has him!” The small bear by a dex- 
trous leap had seized the large bear by the back 
of the neck, where he hung with grim tenacity. 
The weakened condition of the large animal now 
told against him, and every struggle served to 
make him only weaker. Finally, he became quiet, 
his legs stretched out stiff, and then he became 
limp. George could restrain himself no longer, 
and he fitted an arrow to his bow. 

The Professor stopped him. “The bear has 
earned his life. One of them is enough at a 
time.” 

Instinct told the small bear what the inertness 
of his opponent meant, and he relaxed his hold. 

“Now, boys, when I give the word, let us all 
set up a shriek and rush forward. Our friend. 


COMBAT BETWEEN THE BEAKS 93 


‘little bear,’ will then get the surprise of his life. 
Now, ready ! Shriek !” 

Just imagine two healthy boys, with their lusty 
voices, under these conditions ! Was the bear sur- 
prised? He didn’t wait long enough to let any- 
body find out. He left, apparently satisfied with 
the honey he carried away on his fur. 

With shout and laughter the boys made their 
way to the fallen bear ; and here a sight met their 
gaze. The bear was covered with honey. 

These animals are inordinately fond of sweets, 
and the Professor knew that such fights are not 
uncommon among them. Less than fifty feet 
away was lying the partially decayed trunk of a 
tree which had been broken off the main trunk 
about ten feet from the ground, and in toppling 
over it had split for a portion of its length, expos- 
ing a hollow filled with honey. 

Here, indeed, was a gift of good things : Bear- 
skin, bear’s meat and honey ! 

‘T can see where we spend the rest of this day,” 
remarked Harry. 

“And what shall we do with all the honey?” 
asked George. 

“And with the bear?” inquired Harry. 

“This incident gives a new turn to affairs,” said 
the Professor. “If we go forward we must sacri- 
fice the honey, and the bear as well. Considering 
the distance we have gone, since leaving our camp, 
I judge we can, unless too heavily laden, return 
in a day, and for that reason I believe it best to 
take the bear pelt and as much of the steak and 
honey as we can conveniently carry, and return. 


94 


THE CASTAWAYS 


where the meat can be cured and the honey dis- 
posed of for onr future use.” 

The bear was skinned — a long and difficult task, 
with the awkward cutting tools they possessed. 

‘T am wondering how we shall be able to carry 
the honey,” was Harry’s query. 

“That can be easily arranged,” replied the Pro- 
fessor. “We shall use the skin for that, and also 
make it a receptacle for the meat.” 

“What! put the meat in the honey f” 

“Certainly; why not?” 

The boys laughed at the idea. 

“We must preserve the meat in this climate, 
and honey is the best preservative known. It is 
certainly the best we have at hand.” 

“Why does it preserve the meat?” 

“Because it acts as a seal, and also prevents 
germs from attacking the flesh. The present way 
of treating it is not the best, because it would be 
better to wash the meat before coating it with the 
honey. However, honey is a sterilizing agent in 
itself, and I do not think we shall have any trouble 
in keeping it long enough for our purposes.” 

“But doesn’t the meat taint the honey?” 

“Not at all. Our honey will be just as good.” 

All of them worked with a will, but even so, it 
was dusk before everything was prepared. You 
may be sure all were tired when they retired that 
night. 

The next morning, with a beautiful sunrise, they 
started back on their journey. The bearskin bag 
was secured to a pole and carried on the shoul- 
ders of the boys, and they were thus able to trans- 


COMBAT BETWEEN THE BEAES 95 


port a goodly load ; while the Professor took upon 
himself the two bundles of provisions and the other 
little necessaries which had been brought with 
them. 

There was no lagging now. All was enthusi- 
asm. But traveling under a load, hour after hour, 
is not an easy task, and it was late that day when, 
after repeated rests, they emerged from the 
forest. 

By the time they reached home the sun had set. 
Too tired for words, they slept soundly until late 
next morning, and when they woke George’s first 
exclamation was: ^^Too bad we have to use all 
that good honey on the meat!” 

‘‘Then suppose we cure it with saltf’ said the 
Professor. 

“I haven’t seen any salt around here, except 
salt water, and you advised us against using that. 
Sea water can’t be very dangerous, is it?” 

“Not by any means; only it is not good for 
drinking purposes, and it really ruins the taste 
of food. Besides, we have not found any need 
for it with our vegetables.” 

“Well, they would taste better, any how.” 

“Yes; they would probably taste better; but 
that is an acquired habit, like many other things. 
All vegetables contain in themselves sufficient salt 
for our needs, and it is in that form which is best 
assimilated in the human system.” 

“I should think,” said Plarry, “if people, gen- 
erally, use salt, and crave it, that would be a good 
reason why it was intended man should use it.” 

“It does seem so; but you must bear in mind 


96 


THE CASTAWAYS 


that we use vegetables in an unnatural way, by 
removing skins or outer coatings, which contain 
the very form of salt most desirable for digesting 
purposes.” 

‘AVhat, do the outer coverings really contain 
salt?” 

^Wes; and potash, or potash salts. All our 
grain is bolted, to take out the bran, which con- 
tains essential foods, of which salt is one of the 
principal elements.” 

‘‘What is there in sea water which makes it so 
bad for seasoning purposes?” 

“There are about thirty solid elements in it, 
and all of them combined form about three and 
a half per cent, of the bulk of water. Among 
those elements are Glauber and Epsom salts.” 

“Well, it is no wonder it doesn’t have a good 
taste.” 

“Can the common salt be taken out of sea 
water?” 

“Yes ; but it is difficult to do it without the ap- 
paratus. The chief source of salt supply is from 
the salt rock, found in many places throughout 
the world.” 

After thoroughly recuperating from their jour- 
ney, the Professor proposed a jaunt to the hills 
where they found the copper deposit. All intent 
the boys consented, and in a short time were ready 
for the start, and took their weapons, as usual. 

They also detached a portion of the bearskin 
to be used as a carrying receptacle, and with this 
they gathered a quantity of the free copper, mak- 
ing a sufficient load for one trip. During this time 


COMBAT BETWEEN THE BEAES 97 


the Professor was constantly on the alert for evi- 
dences of pure clay deposits, and was rewarded 
by discovering a bank which appeared to contain 
the right kind. 

He announced the discovery and marked the 
spot, after taking along as much as could be 
carried. 

‘^George’s inquisitive nature could not hold him 
back any longer: ‘‘What is all the clay for?” he 
asked. 

“We are going to work our mine, and shall need 
vessels of various kinds. We also want to put 
copper to work for us, doing many useful things.’* 

George could understand the use of the vessels, 
but he could not conceive how copper could be 
put to work. While thus reflecting, the boys saw 
him quickly drop his load and spring up the hill- 
side, where he detached a specimen of black, or 
dark-brown earth, which he held up triumphantly. 

“What is it?” they cried. 

“Blende ! What a wonderful island this is !” 

“We never heard of it before. What is blende ?” 

“It is the ore in which zinc is found.” 

“But zinc is white, isn’t it. Professor?” 

“Not in its original form. This color is due to 
iron or sulphur. It is never found in a free state, 
as is the case with copper, iron, or gold.” 

“We may have little use for it,” said Harry. 

“On the other hand, it is one of the most useful 
of metals.” 

The subject of a new home, one better adapted 
to their needs, and close to a safer source of water 
supply, had long been an object of speculation on 


98 


THE CASTAWAYS 


the part of the Professor. Their trip through the 
forest convinced him that they were within range 
of a running stream which would atford power. 
At the same time they would be nearer the ocean, 
and, as the rainy season was approaching, it was 
imperative that immediate steps be taken to this 
end. His views were fully agreed to by the boj^s. 

He was also curious to investigate the slate 
beds which George had discovered. Early the 
next morning, therefore, after collecting ample 
provisions, they marched over the hills to the slate 
clitfs. When the Professor began prospecting the 
boys made a tour beyond, on their own account. 

^‘Suppose we go in the direction of the sea. We 
have not yet explored the cliffs,’’ remarked Harry. 

They turned to the right, going diagonally across 
one hill after the next, until they were less than a 
half mile from the cliff rocks. 

As they reached the top of one of these hills 
they saw, to their delight, a small stream flowing 
to the ocean, and distinctly heard the sound of 
falling water. Making a detour, so as to reach 
the stream at a bend, they were gratified to find 
a beautiful little cascade, where the water flowed 
down a rocky raceway. 

“This must be the first stream we crossed this 
side of the forest,” said Harry. 

“And what an ideal spot for our house,” said 
George. “We must let the Professor know about 
this at once. So with eagerness, born of their 
zeal, the Professor was soon found, digging into 
the hillside, his clothing soiled and his hands black 
with earth. 


COMBAT BETWEEN THE BEARS 99 


‘‘We have found it, Professor.” 

“So have I,” he replied. 

“Coal !” said both in a breath. 

“Yes ; and a very good variety, if I am not mis- 
taken. Now, let me see what you have found?” 

“We didn’t bring it with us; but it is a real 
waterfall.” 

The Professor did not wait long after this an- 
nouncement, but followed them with alacrity. 

“This solves one of our great problems. What 
an excellent place for our house among the rock 
close to the falls, and we can locate our workshop 
just a short distance away.” 

Below the falls was a beautiful slope of green, 
extending to the edge of the stream, the upper 
side of the field being bounded by a semi-circular 
wall of rock. 

As they were leaving the falls, the Professor 
stopped and pulled up a plant. “What have we 
here?” he exclaimed, as he turned to the boys 
and exhibited the stem which carried a number 
of pinkish flowers. 

The boys followed him as he walked toward the 
stream, and crushed up the flowers and stem as 
he walked. Wlien he reached the water he began 
to wash his hands, rubbing the plant while doing 
so. 

“Soap !” cried Harry. “Just what we have been 
wanting.” 

“And good, soft water, too,” answered the Pro- 
fessor, as he swung his arms to free his hands of 
the water. 


100 


THE CASTAWAYS 


‘T see, it saponifies,” remarked George. He had 
not forgotten the lesson. 

As the sun was getting low, they started for 
home, determined to make preparations for mov- 



The Soap Plant 


ing next morning. As they rounded the last hill, 
what was their consternation to observe a herd 
of George^s “cows” leisurely wandering past the 
shack, and moving southwardly. 

While the sight was an exhilarating one, they 


COMBAT BETWEEN THE BEAES 101 

knew it would be hopeless to attempt to capture 
one of the herd, so they contented themselves in 
counting them and noticing their characteristics. 

“We must get one of those fellows some day,” 
said the Professor. “Milk will come in very ac- 
ceptably.” 

George was the first to reach the shack, but he 
didnT make an attempt to open it. Instead he 
drew back and held up his hand. 

“We have captured one, sure enough,” he 
shouted out. “How do you suppose he could have 
gotten in?” 

“I now recall that I forgot to lower the trap,” 
said Harry. 

It was, fortunately, true. The herd, in wander- 
ing about, had approached the shack, and one of 
them, as it passed in, had dislodged the fastening 
of the door, which was made of boughs bound to- 
gether, so that it fell down and trapped the animal. 

“Well, boys, we have a job before us, if we 
want to keep the beast.” 

“Certainly, let us keep it,” said the boys to- 
gether. 

“See here ; the animal has company.” 

They peered through one of the openings, and 
discovered a calf. The animal was a female, and 
its young was probably a month old. There was 
now no further talk of liberating the cow. 

“These animals are easily tamed, and are not 
at all vicious,” remarked the Professor, as he 
viewed the captives, and nodded his head approv- 
ingly at the decision to keep them. It was con- 
siderably frightened and timid, of course. 


102 


THE CASTAWAYS 


It will be remembered that daring the second 
week, after selecting the present site, they built 
an addition, which was used for their provisions, 
so the cow was quartered in their living room, 
and thus had the benefit of the beds of leaves they 
had made. Under the circumstances they con- 
cluded to allow the cow to remain there, and pro- 
ceeded to fit up the storeroom with sleeping quar- 
ters, temporarily, after securing a quantity of 
leaves for bedding, thus making themselves com- 
fortable for the night. 

‘'You see, boys, the more we have, the greater 
will be the responsibilities. That is one lesson 
of life.’’ 

“Yes,” said Harry; “but we can have milk, 
which we didn’t have before.” 

Now began their busy days. To care for the 
cow and calf was indeed a problem. They had to 
provide water, and the spring on which they de- 
pended was some distance away. Food was not 
so difficult, but even this was not the easiest thing, 
as they still had no other cutting tools than the 
shell knives. 

But they were undaunted. It had been their 
custom always to keep on hand a good supply of 
ramie stalks, which were soaked in water and 
then spread out for the decomposing process, so 
that they were gradually accumulating a supply 
of fiber. Usually the boys would hunt together, 
and only occasionally were they able to bag any 
game of importance. 

One day, however, they had an exciting, if not 
dangerous, experience. While in the hills, seated 



‘ George could restrain himself no longer, and he fitted an 
arrow to his how ” , 



COMBAT BETWEEN THE BEAES 103 


on the ground eating their luncheon, they were 
startled by the grunt of an animal near at hand. 
Above them, less than twenty feet away, was an 
object which looked like a half -grown hog. When 
it saw them it was, evidently, as much startled as 
they, hut, nevertheless, it did not retreat. 

Harry fitted an arrow into the bow, and hur- 
riedly took a shot, the arrow finding a mark in 
the animaPs neck, between the shoulders. With 
a squeal, not unlike that of a hog, it bounded for- 
ward, striking the ground directly in front of 
Harry, and with another spring struck him fairly 
on the left shoulder, so that he rolled over with 
the animal. 

George, in the meantime, had an opportunity to 
grasp the heavy shell hatchet, just as the hog 
turned toward him. Without hesitating, he swung 
the hatchet, as the forward part of the animal’s 
body came in reach, and succeeded, almost, in 
severing the animal’s front legs at the first blow. 

Harry, fortunately, was not hurt, and in an in- 
stant had recovered himself. He at once sprang 
toward his own hatchet, which was lying several 
yards away. Before he could deliver a blow the 
animal dropped over on its side, at which point 
George brought the hatchet down on its skull, fin- 
ishing the combat. 

When Harry’s arrow reached the animal it 
struck at a point directly forward of the shoulder 
blades, and as its head was poised and Harry was 
below, the arrow pointed directly toward the loca- 
tion of the heart. 

The force of the arrow was not sufficient to pene- 


104 


THE CASTAWAYS 


trate to the heart, but when the hog leaped for- 
ward and landed on the ground, the projecting 
shaft of the arrow struck the earth, and was driven 
far enough to reach the heart, thus finishing the 
work that the bow failed to carry out. 

It was many minutes before they recovered 
from the excitement caused by the fight. They 
little realized how very creditable a victory they 
had won, or the danger they had encountered, in 
presuming to capture so formidable a beast with 
their puny weapons. 

The animal weighed a hundred pounds or more, 
but they concluded, nevertheless, to carry it home, 
which they did by mounting it upon a pole and 
carrying it litter-fashion. 

The Professor viewed the capture with a great 
deal of satisfaction. ^Tt is the aardvark, or wild 
hog, and it is fortunate that you were unaware of 
its vicious character when attacked. See what a 
pointed nose and powerful tusks it has.” 

“Well,” said George, “we can have pork now 
in addition to our other luxuries.” 

^Wes; and real soap,” responded the Professorj 
as he viewed his still blackened and discolored 
hands. 

The boys were directed to drive a circle of 
stakes close together, so as to make an enclosure 
one foot in diameter, and about two feet high. 

The stakes were held together by a bow at the 
top. Within this enclosure the bottom was cov- 
ered with clay, hard packed, and dished up around 
the sides for about six inches from the bottom. A 


COMBAT BETWEEN THE BEARS 105 


hole was then formed from the middle of this clay 
disk downwardly, so that it led out at one side. 

“Now that is as good as a barrel for our pur- 
poses,” said the Professor. “If you will get some 



Ash Barrel 

dried grass and spread over the bottom we shall 
be ready for the ashes.” 

A quantity of wood ashes was now poured on 
the straw and wetted down, as each layer was 


106 


THE CASTAWAYS 


added, and straw laid in along the sides against 
the stakes to prevent the ash from drifting out. 
In this way the barrel was filled, as shown in 
Fig. 10. 





Leaching Lye 

The only utensils they had were slate recep- 
tacles, which had been cut and rounded, or hol- 
lowed out, by means of the grindstone, so they 
had to use all of their vessels for the purpose of 
supplying water and catching the lye. Water was 
slowly poured into a little hollow in the top of the 



COMBAT BETWEEN THE BEAKS 107 


ash, and was permitted thoroughly to saturate 
the ash, and then, when the entire mass of ash 
had once become completely soaked, a wine-col- 
ored liquid, called lye, began to drip from the hole 
at the clay bottom. 

When their slate receptacles were filled, the 
largest of them were put over the fire and the 
lye allowed to boil. To this was added some of 
the fat from the wild hog, and as rapidly as the 
liquid evaporated down, a fresh quantity was 
added, until a sufficient amount of fat and lye 
were united to form a saponifying mass. It was 
then stood to one side and allowed to cool. 

The next morning they found a thick skin of 
yellow soap had formed on top. This was cut 
out into little squares. 

‘^The upper part, which we are now removing, 
is used to make the finer kinds, and after further 
refining we may use it for toilet soap; but the 
soft, dark-colored material below may be used in 
its soft state, for washing clothes,” remarked the 
Professor. 

‘^How are we to refine these cakes?” asked 
George. 

‘^By reboiling, then allowing them to become 
cool, and during this process the impurities settle ; 
the top forms the refined part of the soap, which 
may be perfumed.” 


CHAPTEE VII 


THE DISCOVERY OF USEFUL METALS 

The acquisition of the cow and calf did, indeed, 
impose a burden upon the colony, because the 
work of putting up the new home engrossed 
their attention at this time. It was laborious 
work hunting the wooden poles and carrying them 
to the Cataract, as they called it. 

Their first hut, which was designed for tem- 
porary quarters only, was but ten by ten feet, 
and it was built out from the angle formed by the 
jutting rock, so they had only two sides to enclose 
and to provide a roof, which saved considerably 
in material, and reduced the labor. This occupied 
three days of hard work. 

‘‘What are we going to do about our cow?” 
asked George. 

“I suppose we shall have to build a stable of 
some kind. I have an idea. Below the falls we 
can make an enclosure, running from the clitf 
wall down to the little bay, and so as to take 
in part of the water, and that will also solve the 
water problem,” said Harry, as he proceeded to 
make a sketch of the plan. 

But the boys found fence building a hard job. 
They could use only the small poles, because they 
had nothing but imperfect cutting tools, and the 
poles had to be carried, and then driven in by the 
use of stones. 


108 


DISCOVERY OF USEFUL METALS 109 


The poles were six feet long, and placed six 
inches apart, and near the upper ends stringers 
or small poles were run along horizontally, and 
tied to the tops, to keep them together. At inter- 
vals of eight or ten feet columns of stone were 
built up to serve as supports for the fence. A 
gate was placed at one side so that it would swing 
on hinges, made from strips of the bearskin. 
When completed the enclosure was about twenty 
by thirty feet within. 

While all this was going on the Professor urged 
the boys to make themselves familiar with the 
cow, and by degrees to show the animal that no 
harm was intended; to which he added: 

“I believe it would be a good plan to get the 
calf, if possible, and lead it around, so as to show 
the mother your friendly intention. All animals 
have the instinct of fear firmly implanted in them. 
That makes them intractable when restrained.” 

The task of milking the animal was a far more 
difficult one than they had bargained for. By de- 
grees they succeeded in this also, and finally the 
day came when they must move all their house- 
hold goods and the stock. 

‘'How shall we get the cow over there? That 
is what puzzles me?” asked Harry, as they were 
contemplating the removal. 

“There is a plan that I have seen used with 
good results. Prepare two strong ropes, each about 
fifteen feet long. We can cut up part of the bear- 
skin for that purpose. Then, we shall want an- 
other about twenty feet long. To attach them, 
tie one end of one of the short ropes to one horn 


110 


THE CASTAWAYS 


of the yak, and bring the rope over the head and 
down nnder the neck. The other rope is tied to 
the other horn and thrown over the head in the 
same way so it extends over in the opposite direc- 
tion from the other rope. 

The long rope must be tied to one of the front 
feet, and used as a trailer. This little sketch 
shows just what I mean. (Fig. 11.) 

‘‘But what shall we do with the calf?” 

“We must tie that to a separate rope, and as 
you boys must handle the side ropes, I will take 



the trailer rope, and also hold the rope to which 
the calf is attached.” 

All preparations were thus made, and they found 
no great difficulty in securing the ropes as de- 
scribed. 

“Before we start we must attach a piece of 
wood to the end of each rope. Get three pieces ; 
each about two and a half feet long, will do, and 
we can tie the end of each rope in the middle.” 

“What is that for. Professor?” 

“It will serve two purposes: If, by any mis- 
chance, the cow should get away, these trailing 


DISCOVERY OF USEFUL METALS 111 


clubs may serve as anchors ; and on the other hand, 
if she should become vicious you can use the clubs 
as weapons for defending yourselves. Are you 
ready?” 

The ropes held by Harry and George were now 
brought out of the trap, the boys stationing them- 
selves on opposite sides of the door opening, ropes 
in hand. The Professor was at the door which 
led from the other apartment, with the end of his 
rope, and with the calf tethered to him. Harry 
cautiously slipped up the trap, upon which the 
Professor opened his door and gently prodded the 
cow. 

All of this preparation was sufficient, of course, 
to serve as a tonic for the animal, but the open 
door was a sign of freedom, and without much 
urging she bounded for the outside air. The boys 
both sprang aside, and in so doing their ropes 
became taut around their animal’s windpipe, at 
which she suddenly stopped and with a look of 
surprise. 

“That’s dandy !” said Harry. The calf was now 
at her heels, with the Professor following. Once 
in the open air, however, the animal lost all re- 
straint, plunging first in one direction, then in 
the other, but at each turn the choking motion was 
applied, and at the end of every effort she bel- 
lowed, each occasion being answered by the calf. 

Fairly good progress was made until they 
sighted their home. At this point, as they were 
going down the steep incline, George fell, and in 
doing so frightened the animal, so that she 
plunged forward repeatedly, until she was 


112 


THE CASTAWAYS 


brought to her knees, for a moment, by the Pro- 
fessor. She was up in an instant, and before 
George could regain the end of his rope, the cow 
turned upon Harry, who now had no alternative 
but to retreat. 

‘‘Get the rope, George ; get the rope,” cried the 
Professor. It was useless. “Then get the other 
rope, Harry.” 

There was now a terrible mix-up, and the Pro- 
fessor’s strength was about exhausted. “Come 
here, quickly,” he called out, at which both boys 
rushed toward him, but before they could reach 
him he stumbled and the club was wrested from 
his hands. 

The cow was free, but not the calf. Notwith- 
standing the bad luck all laughed at the situation. 

“What shall we do with the calf without its 
mother f’ asked George. 

“Never mind about that,” answered Harry. 
“What shall we do without any milk?” 

The answer came quickly, as the cow, after run- 
ning a few hundred feet, began bellowing for her 
calf, and as it didn’t follow, she stopped, and 
upon seeing that there was no pursuit, meekly 
returned and stood quietly a short distance away. 

“Capital,” said the Professor. “We can use the 
baby to bring her back.” 

Surely enough; without paying any attention 
to her, they crossed the hill and tied the calf in 
the enclosure. 

“Keep away, now, and we may soon capture 
> her again. Love for her calf is too strongly de- 
veloped to need much waiting, is my opinion.” 


DISCOVERY OF USEFUL METALS 113 


Within an hour the cow was inside the enclos- 
ure, and when the boys went down she did not 
seem to be in any way alarmed, nor did she en- 
deavor to get away. The calf was kept tied, and 
the gate of the enclosure left open. The next 
morning the cow was feeding on the green grass, 
and the boys passed and repassed without alarm- 
ing her in the least. 

The need of better cutting tools was now im- 
pressing itself more and more upon our colonists. 
As the days became cooler they were reminded 
that they must prepare for the cooler, or, at least, 
the rainy season, and this would mean a stock of 
fuel, as well as of provisions. The cow and calf 
might serve them for meat, and they still had 
clams. It was difficult to get fish, although they 
knew that the stream held a plentiful supply. 

“Why can’t we get some iron to make tools 
with?” asked Harry. 

“Good suggestion,” answered George. “I am 
off for the mines.” 

The idea pleased all of them, particularly the 
old man. They lost no time, but commenced get- 
ting all the available means they had for carrying 
materials and supplies, and thus equipped set out 
for the mines. 

“I am going to give you a surprise, boys. Dur- 
ing my investigation two weeks ago, at the time 
I found the coal, I came across an iron deposit, 
not far from the coal layers. It is fortunate that 
it is not far from our new home. In order to 
hasten things I suggest that we divide our labors. 

“Harry, you take such tools as will be necessary, 


114 


THE CASTAWAYS 


and get some coal, and, George, you prepare the 
fuel, getting the dryest wood you can. I will 
select the place most suitable for our purpose.” 

When the coal had been assembled, Harry said : 
^‘Now, I will get the iron.” 

^‘No ; we are not yet ready for that,” replied the 
Professor. 

‘^But we are going to make iron, are we not?” 

^Wes; but we have something that is more im- 
portant now.” 

The Professor then requested the boys to bring 
down several loads of clay, and as their ‘Vorks” 
were erected near the edge of the stream they soon 
made up a batch of clay so that it was in a plastic 
state. With this clay a sort of stove was made, 
measuring about two feet in diameter, and a little 
more in height, the whole being surrounded by a 
layer of stones to hold it in place. At the bottom 
were several holes to admit air. (See Fig. 12.) 

‘‘Is the iron ore put into this stove?” asked 
George. 

“No ; we must first make coke, and it will sim- 
plify iron making.” 

“What is the idea of making coke? Why not 
use the coal itself?” 

“Coal can be used direct, but it is very bad to 
do it with bituminous, or soft coal, and that is the 
only kind we happen to have on hand. 

“What other kinds of coal are there, then?” 

“Lignite, cannel, and anthracite. Anthracite is 
the only other kind available for making iron.” 

The stove, or oven, as finally made, was then 


DISCOVERY OF USEFUL METALS 115 

filled with wood, and after being allowed to burn 
for some time, the oven was covered with a large, 
flat stone, and the air holes below were closed. 
When the fire had, apparently, died down suffi- 



ciently, a small hole, or opening, was made below, 
and also another small hole above, so that the 
smoke finally passed out. 

When the interior was again at a glowing heat, 
the top stone was removed and water poured in 


116 


THE CASTAWAYS 


so that the fire was finally smothered. With a 
stick the black pieces were then lifted out. 

‘What is all this for, Professor 

“This is charcoal.” 

“I thought you intended to make coke?” 

“Yes; but to do so we must have the fuel best 
suited for the purpose. Charcoal is to wood what 
coke is to coal.” 

When they had thus burnt off several ovenfuls 
of charcoal, the Professor announced that they 
were now ready to make coke. 

Without taking out the last charge of charcoal, 
and before extinguishing the fire, the Professor 
put in a sufficient amount of charcoal to fill the 
oven completely, on which, when it became a 
glowing mass, was deposited a quantity of coal, 
which had been broken up into fine pieces, and 
more was added as the charcoal burned out. 
Finally, a mass of the charcoal was put on top 
of the coal. 

“While this work is going on, we may as well 
be mining some of the ore, as we shall need it 
to-morrow.” 

“Why not to-day ?” asked George, eagerly. 

“Because we cannot draw our charge of coke un- 
til some time in the morning.” 

“Does it take as long as that to make coke?” 

“Generally, about eight hours, and you know 
it must also cool down, which takes a little time.” 

“What makes it swell up so ? It looks as though 
it were boiling.” 

“That is due to the volatile gases which are 
generated by the heat. The high temperature 


DISCOVERY OF USEFUL METALS 117 


softens the coal, and the gas is then readily liber- 
ated, so that from 25 to 35 per cent, of the coal 
goes off in smoke.” 

‘‘So there is then only about three-fourths of 
the weight of the coal left, as coke?” 

“Yes.” 

A goodly quantity of iron ore was brought to the 
oven, in preparation for the first stage. 

“See the oven cracking ! Too bad,” said Harry. 

“We must expect that, as we have no firebrick,” 
was the ProfessoFs explanation. 

“Why didn’t we make firebrick?” 

“That is what we are doing now.” 

“How?” 

“As all clay has so many impurities in it, we 
must destroy them, and as heat is the greatest 
purifier known, we are now burning out all the 
dross from the fire clay of which our oven is 
made.” 

“But if it all cracks up it will be of no use to 
us, will it?” 

“If it doesn’t crack and break up into pieces we 
shall have to do that work ourselves later on.” 

“I don’t understand why?” 

“Because we must grind up the burnt clay and 
mix it with some of our regular clay, and then 
burn it so as to get a sample with the smallest 
possible quantity of impurities in it, and the result 
will be a fire clay.” 

By the time they were ready to discontinue 
for the day, they had a glowing mass of coals, 
and there was a small opening at the top from 
which the fumes issued. But the amount of smoke 


118 


THE CASTAWAYS 


grew less and less, until finally there was no fur- 
ther trace of it. Water was then poured in at 
the top so the fire was entirely extinguished, and 
the top again put on. A hole was then made at 
the bottom, and a small one at the top. 

The next morning the boys were most eager 
to return, but as they were leaving the house, the 
Professor called attention to a number of animals 
across the river, slowly moving toward the Cata- 
ract. 

‘^What do you suppose they are?” asked Harry. 

‘^Hard to tell, but we shall probably know 
after they pass the underbrush this side of the 
hill.” 

They all waited anxiously to learn what the un- 
common sight could mean. In a half hour or so 
they had the satisfaction of seeing a herd of yaks 
leisurely move down the hill, heading straight for 
the Cataract. 

‘Wouldn’t it be fun to capture the herd?” asked 
George. 

“What could we do with them? They would 
be too much trouble,” answered Harry. 

“They would be of immense service to us,” re- 
sponded the Professor. “Their wool could be 
used to great advantage, and they would take 
care of themselves, if we could only domesticate 
them.” 

“I wonder what our cow will do ?” 

The boys went to the other side of the house, 
and watched the cow, which was feeding below the 
enclosure. She soon began to bellow, and was 
answered by the herd. She made no demonstra- 


DISCOVERY OF USEFUL METALS 119 


tion, however, and in a half hour more the whole 
lot were across the river. 

It should be stated that when the question of 
feed for the cow was first an important topic, the 
Professor suggested that tubers of various kinds 
would be the most acceptable article of food for 
her, and later on, they made it a part of their duty 
to gather the cassavas for that purpose. 

The animals in their native state, are unable 
to get at the roots, but they crave them, when they 
once get a taste of them, and that was the case 
in this instance. The cow became so accustomed 
to the daily feed that she would come to the 
house in the evening, if her regular feed should 
be neglected for a time, and would not go away 
until she had received her portion of the succulent 
roots. 

“George, get some of the cassavas, and let us 
take them over the river. That will bring them.^^ 

“They will run away, if we go over,” he an- 
swered. 

“I think they will come back. The suggestion 
is a good one. If they once get a taste of them, 
the herd will belong to us, sure,” responded the 
Professor. 

The roots were taken across, and the herd re- 
treated. After depositing them on the ground, 
the boys returned to the other side, where they 
waited to see what they would do. The most dar- 
ing of them soon moved up, and when they began 
feeding, the others came up, and the boys congrat- 
ulated themselves on what they believed would be 
a most valuable acquisition. 


120 


THE CASTAWAYS 


When they arrived at the oven they took off the 
top cover, but in attempting to remove the coke 
their clay-lined oven was practically destroyed. 
All the clay thus burned was carefully put aside, 
and a quantity of it crushed. All of this work 
required infinite pains, but it was a labor which 
absorbed every moment of their time, and kept up 
the interest to an intense degree. 

Fresh batches of clay were now brought for- 
ward and made up, to which was added a large 
quantity of the fresh burnt clay, and a new fur- 
nace, somewhat similar to the first, was built, al- 
though it was higher and the walls considerably 
thicker. 

‘Tf you will notice, boys, the bottom of this 
furnace becomes narrower, or is contracted as it 
deepens, and it has sloping sides.’^ 

To afford a clearer idea of how the furnace was 
made, look at the drawing (Fig. 13). This fur- 
nace was entirely made up of clay. 

The Professor continued: ‘‘Leading out from 
the contracted bottom are two or more openings 
(A A), and these holes are larger at their outer 
than at their inner ends. A cone-shaped projec- 
tion (B) rests on the bottom, and has a vertical 
hole (C) through it, which connects with a hori- 
zontal hole (D) so as to admit air to the cone. 
The air is distributed in all directions through 
many holes (E) near the top of the cone.” 

“What is the idea in making the holes taper- 
ing?” 

“To supply air to the fuel at first, and after- 
wards, when the metal has melted, the clay plugs. 


DISCOVERY OF USEFUL METALS 121 


previously put in, can easily be taken out or re- 
placed.” 

The first step was to throw charcoal into the 
furnace, which was ignited, and when it had 
reached a white heat, a layer of iron ore was 



thrown in, followed by successive layers of iron 
ore and coke, until the furnace was filled, the coke 
and ore being added slowly, so that within a short 
time the entire charcoal layers were burning 
fiercely. 


122 


THE CASTAWAYS 


During this time the holes (A) were open and 
through these the boys watched the process breath- 
lessly. Within an hour George noticed a small 
stream of liquid running from one of the holes 
(A). The Professor, too, noticed it. 

‘‘We must now close the holes with soft clay. 
Push in the ball of clay with the end of a pole, 
and it will tightly pack in the tapering hole. You 
will now notice that all the air for combustion 
must go up through the center hole (C).” 

Within the next hour a small amount of molten 
liquid was noticed at the hole (D) which led up to 
the cone. 

During the smelting of the ore, preparations 
had been made, adjacent to the furnace, to re- 
ceive the metal. A clay bed was made, in which 
were various depressions of different shapes, 
some being in the form of hammers and hatchets, 
and others were short, round sections to form 
bars, or handles, for tools. A few of them were 
shallow, flat depressions, so that something simi- 
lar to sheets or plates could be formed by the 
molten metal, and one of the forms was an anvil- 
shaped hole. 

All these hollows were connected up to a chan- 
nel-way which led from one of the tapering holes 
of the furnace, and the process will be understood 
by examining Fig. 14. 

“I think we are ready now to draw off the fur- 
nace,” said the Professor. All was excitement 
now. 

“Shall I pull out one of the clay plugs asked 
Harry. 


DISCOVERY OF USEFUL METALS 123 

“Yes; but be ready with another clay ball to 
put in the moment I give the signal. Now, under- 
stand: We must run off just enough to make 
some of these handle shapes.” 

As the metal flowed out the Professor stood 
ready with balls of clay to direct it into the molds 
having the handle shapes, each of the shapes be- 
ing about an inch in diameter and eighteen inches 
long. 

“Close it up,” said the Professor. “Now, have 
some water handy, George, as we must cool these 



handles as quickly as possible. Wait until the 
dark red color disappears. Now; sprinkle a lit- 
tle water on; still more. There; that will do. 
Plunge them into cold water.” 

When the handles thus cast were taken from the 
water, the boys danced about at the sight of the 
first casting. 

“IsnT that a fine specimen!” said the Profes- 
sor, as he held up two of the pieces and struck 
them together. “How they ring! But we must 
not flatter ourselves with the idea that we have 
good iron at the first trial. The iron may be too 


124 


THE CASTAWAYS 


soft, like wrought iron; or it may be too hard, 
like cast iron ; but both forms will be very useful.” 

‘‘Why should it be either cast iron or wrought 
iron?” was the inquiry. 

“If the sample we have here is somewhat free 
from impurities, and we have a small amount of 
carbon, we have wrought iron; but if it still has 
impurities and an excess of carbon, it will be cast 
iron. 

“But can’t we make steel from it if it is either 
cast or wrought iron?” 

“Yes; if it turns out that there is considerable 
carbon in it, we must free it of the impurities, 
such as slag and oxides, and that will then give us 
steel.” 

They were now ready to tap otf the remaining 
charge. The tap hole was opened and the metal 
flowed into each of the depressed portions in the 
bed. While the cooling process was taking place, 
the Professor took the cast handle forms, which 
had been previously cooled, and pushed one of 
them down through the molten mass in each of 
the hammer forms, the same as the handle is 
usually pushed through the eye of a hammer. 

“That’s a clever way to make a handle to a ham- 
mer,” remarked George. 

Within half an hour the castings had been 
cooled down so they could be raised up from their 
beds. The handle castings, which had been al- 
lowed to remain in the molten heads, were now 
held firmly therein by the metal, as the latter 
shrunk in cooling, but, of course, the handle and 
hammer were both very rough. 


DISCOVERY OF USEFUL METALS 125 

^‘There,” said the Professor, ‘Ve have one of 
the most important tools in the hands of man — a 
hammer. With this we can fashion almost any- 
thing.” 

When they returned home that evening, Harry’s 
intuitive mind was quick to assert itself. ‘‘We 
must have a real grindstone now.” 

“That is a wise conclusion,” replied the Pro- 
fessor, “and it is in the proper direction to com- 
mence the work of making tools.” 

During the following day the boys were busy 
making a frame, on which to mount a stone, and 



Their Original Hammer 


now the first task was to finish one which would 
really do the work of grinding. A suitable stone 
was found for the purpose, and the first thing 
was to drill a hole through it, which was a com- 
paratively easy task, with the metal pieces. 

When this was done it was mounted on the 
frame, and a suitable crank provided. It re- 
quired hours of work grinding down the rough 
and projecting edges, which was done by allow- 
ing other stones to come into contact with it while 
being turned. 

When it was finally turned down so that it was 
fairly cylindrical in form, the hatchet blade was 
fixed to a frame, and put at a proper tangential 


126 


THE CASTAWAYS 


angle, and gradually moved toward the stone so as 
to wear down the projections and inequalities, 
thereby making the surface not only sharpen the 
hatchet, but also true itself. 

The large pointed block of metal had one side 
and a pointed end ground up so as to form an 
anvil. 

‘T am disappointed to find that while we have 
made a good sample of wrought or malleable iron, 
it is too soft for cutting purposes,” said the Pro- 
fessor. 

^‘Then we must make steel, I suppose,” replied 
Harry. 

can see no other remedy,” he answered. 

^^Will that be difficult to do?” 

‘^No ; with the metal we now have, and the char- 
coal we still have on hand, we can probably puddle 
the iron.” 

‘How will that change the iron so as to make it 
steel?” 

“The iron we have is very pure, but it is low 
in carbon, and its softness shows that we have 
less than one-half per cent, of carbon in it. If 
we now can fuse — that is, melt the iron with a 
fuel intermixed with it, the fuel, if it is charcoal, 
for instance, that will put an additional one per 
cent, of carbon in it, and we shall be able to get a 
steel that will be serviceable.” 

This was sufficient again to awaken the boys to 
activity, and during the day another furnace was 
built and charcoal used for melting purposes. 
Great was their delight at the product turned out. 
The puddled iron, or steel, was actually boiled 


DISCOVERY OF USEFUL METALS 127 


in the furnace, and then allowed to become cool 
until it was pasty. 

^Ts it not possible to get too much carbon into 
it?^’ asked George. 

‘^Yes ; that is frequently the case.” 

‘‘Doesn’t that really make it useless as steel?” 

“Not by any means ; if such a thing occurs the 
steel becomes brittle, something like cast iron.” 

“How can the brittleness be overcome, or reme- 
died?” 

“That can be done by heating and then cooling 
it repeatedly, which will remove the brittleness, 
and make a very tough metal.” 



The Bolo 


The steel produced was of fairly good quality, 
and they were now able, for the first time, to set 
about the work of making necessary tools, such 
as blades, which they forged out of the small in- 
gots that had been cast from their steel-charged 
furnace. But their ax and hatchet were still im- 
perfect, because they had no means of making the 
eye, wherewith the handle could be attached. 

“I only wish we had an ax, or a hatchet,” said 
Harry, one day. 

“Why don’t you make a bolo, instead?” asked 
the Professor. 

“What is a bolo like? Is it in the form of a 
sword?” 

“No ; it is something more like a butcher’s 


128 


THE CASTAWAYS 


cleaver. It is the form of a hatchet, or ax, used 
by all primitive races who are able to recover 
iron but have no extensive tools to enable them 
to make holes through the metal. The holo is a 
Bisayan weapon, in the Philippines, and is some- 
what like the Cuban machete.” 

That was a comparatively easy task for Harry, 
and the specimens he turned out were truly 
wicked-looking instruments, and terrible weapons 
for defense, in case of attack. 

With these they had no trouble in felling fairly 
large-sized trees, and they were particularly handy 
in hewing logs, or facing off the timber which was 
needed for their home. 


CHAPTER VIII 


THE FIKST EXPLOKATION 

The building of a borne was the first task. It 
was laborious work, even with the newly acquired 
tools. Each day Harry improved the form of 
the tools the better to adapt them for their work. 

“What is the most useful tool?” said the Pro- 
fessor. 

Harry pondered, and then replied : “The bolo, 
I think, but a saw would come in very handy.” 

“In time you will, no doubt, be able to make 
one. Unquestionably, the bolo, or the machete, 
has a more useful function than any other tool. 
It is available to sever material, or trim and 
smooth it, so that it is a tool which is a substitute 
for the saw and the plane.” 

The most important want, now that their house 
had been completed, was clothing. What they 
had was growing shabby, and they needed bed- 
clothing, as leaves imparted no warmth. 

“We have so much fiber on hand that with our 
tools we should improvise a loom, and do like our 
grandmothers used to do, spend the early evenings 
in weaving.” 

“Then let us commence at once. What is the 
first thing to do?” 

“The shuttle is probably the most difficult to 
make, and I am going to make a drawing to show 
how it is made. In the sketch (Fig. 17), you will 
129 


130 


THE CASTAWAYS 


see that it is a long, round piece of wood, taper- 
ing or pointed at both ends, the body (A) being 
hollowed ont, and having at one pointed end a 
small hole (B) for the thread to pass out. The 
other end has a plug (C) with its end pointed, and 
this plug fits into the hollow of the shuttle. It 
has an inwardly projecting piece of wood (D), 
which is the bobbin, or quill, on which the yarn 
or thread is wound.” 

‘‘Oh, yes, that is the woof.” 





“No, the weft. The woof threads are those that 
extend lengthwise of the goods, and the warp 
threads are the crosswise ones.” 

“As I haven’t anything to bore the hole with, 
it is pretty hard to make the shuttle. If I had 
some glue I might make it without trouble.” 

“Then we shall make some glue. We are for- 
tunate in having plenty of fish for the purpose.” 

“Is it very difficult to make?” 

“It is rather simple. Boil the fish until it is 
entirely shredded; then allow it to cool; and the 
glue will then come to the top. We can refine it 
by reboiling the substance thus obtained, and 
finally get a very good article.” 


FIRST EXPLORATION 


131 


‘^Is fish the only thing we can useV^ 

‘'No, we may, later on, use the hoofs of animals, 
as well as the hide.” 

It did not take long to prepare the glue, and a 
very serviceable shuttle was made. 

While the glue was being prepared the Pro- 
fessor instructed the boys how to make two heddle 



frames (see Figs. 18 and 19), each of which was 
made of a pair of horizontal bars (AA), held to- 
gether at their ends by short vertical bars (BB). 
This heddle frame was three feet long. A row of 
very small holes (C) was formed through the 
upper and the lower bars, and loops of ramie 
fiber thread (D) were threaded through the holes, 
so that the loops of the threads met midway be- 


132 


THE CASTAWAYS 


tween the bars, and these loops were secured 
around little eyes (E), which they made out of 
short sections of bamboo. 



These heddles were mounted in a frame, and 
suspended by cords (F) looped over pulleys (G) 
mounted on the frame, so the heddles could move 
up or down alternately, as shown in Fig. 19. 

A yarn roller (H) was then mounted behind 


FIEST EXPLOEATION 133 

the heddles for the warp threads, and a cloth roll 
(I) in the front of the heddles. 

In threading up the heddles one thread is passed 
through the eye (E) of the heddle, the next thread 
through the eye of the next heddle, and so on, 
alternating, as shown in Fig. 18, so that when 
one heddle is up the other heddle is down, and a 
triangularly formed raceway is formed between 
the two rows of threads through which the bob- 
bin is passed in one direction, then when the 
heddles are reciprocated the bobbin is again 
passed back, and a new thread is thus added each 
time the heddles are changed. 

It was a long and tedious task to prepare the 
fiber, as each strand of warp had to be at least 
twenty feet long, and to make the cloth three feet 
wide required a great many strands. 

The work in their inexperienced hands pro- 
ceeded slowly, but the cloth, although coarse, was 
certainly a good, serviceable product. They had 
started an enterprise which, while it did not give 
them a great variety of cloth, served admirably 
for the present as clothing, and for the innumer- 
able things which are needed in order to live with 
any degree of comfort. 

^^We are letting our cataract water run to 
waste,” said Harry, one day. ‘We could make so 
many useful things if we had power.” 

“Then I suggest,” said the Professor, “that we 
build a water wheel, and probably we can succeed 
in forging out a saw blade. If we are successful 
in that there will not be much trouble in rigging 
up a jig saw for cutting our lumber.” 


134 


THE CASTAWAYS 


“And with that we can put up our factory,” said 
George, enthusiastically. 

“What kind of water wheel shall we make?” 
asked Harry. # 

“I think an undershot wheel will he the easiest 
to make and the simplest to mount, although it is 
not the most efficient and is the most difficult to 
control.” 

“What other kind could we make?” 

“We might construct a turbine.” 

“What is the difference in principle between the 
undershot and the turbine?” 

“The undershot is dependent for its power on 
the speed of a moving or falling stream of water, 
whereas the turbine depends on the head or the 
pressure of the water. The undershot wheel is 
difficult to control as to speed, but the turbine can 
be regulated to run at any speed.” 

“Then why not build a turbine?” 

“My objection to that is, we must build a flume 
and a penstock, to carry out and hold the water. 
With the undershot wheel that is not necessary.” 

“Then let us have the undershot.” 

The cataract had its main channel on the side 
nearest the home, and about ten feet from the 
shore were several large rocks around or 'past 
which the water flowed. It was agreed to make 
an attempt to mount the wheel on timbers secured 
to those rocks and to similar rocks on the shore 
side. (See Fig. 20.) 

A straight tree trunk (A) was used for the 
shaft. This had four pairs of arms (B), and 
blades (D) were secured to this. Intermediate 


FIEST EXPLOEATION 


135 


were other blades (E) attached to arms (F), and 
held in place by side bars (G). A wheel (H) was 



put on the land end of the shaft to turn the 
machinery. 

They immediately began the building of the 
frame for a saw, and with a patience and deter- 


136 


THE CASTAWAYS 


mination which would be a pattern for many men, 
they hammered out a blade of steel three feet 
long. Of course, it was thick and rough and when 
completed Harry was at his wit’s end to know 
how he could form the teeth, as their steel was 
very hard. 

The Professor was amused at his perturbed 
state of mind. ‘T suppose we could turn the steel 
into malleable iron again?” he said. 

^^Well, we might just as well have made it out 
of malleable iron in the first place.” 

^^Then it would have been useless for our pur- 
poses. Instead of that, let us anneal the steel 
blade you have.” 

‘^Will that make it soft?” 

“Yes, and then we can harden it again. That 
is called Tempering’ it.” 

Accordingly a furnace was built, long enough to 
take in the blade, and coke was put in, spread out 
and ignited. When it was a glowing mass the 
blade was laid on to heat. 

“When it reaches a temperature of about 1,300 
degrees of heat, we must remove it and cover it 
with ashes until it is entirely cooled down.” 

Harry laughed, and said : “How shall we know 
when we have that temperature?” 

“That is told by the color. When it first shows 
signs of turning red we shall have a temperature 
of 1,000 degrees of heat ; a dull red, 1,300 ; cherry 
red, 1,700; deep orange, 2,000; and white, 2,400.” 

“Fine,” said George ; that is worth knowing.” 

But their troubles with the saw were not over. 
Teeth had to be cut, and that without a file. True, 


FIRST EXPLORATION 


137 


they had made what is called a ^^cold chisel,” a 
very hard steel cutting tool, and with that they 
cut out tooth after tooth on the thickest margin 
of the blade. 

‘‘The blade is finished and it is ready for tem- 
pering,” said George. “What is the next step?” 

“Let us heat it again, so that it shows a nice 
cherry red. Then plunge it into cold water so 
that it is suddenly chilled.” 

When this was done the Professor held it up 
at one end and struck it with a piece of metal. It 
had a highly pitched ring. 

“If it had given out a dull ring we might be 
sure it did not take the temper,” he said. 

The next step in the preparation of the saw was 
to rig up a small thin-bladed grindstone, and with 
this each tooth was filed to a sharp point; and 
then on the large grindstone they spent the 
greater part of a day in smoothing down the irreg- 
ularities of the surfaces of the blade. Before they 
tempered the blade they had formed a pair of 
holes at each end of the saw so as to provide a 
means for attaching it to the frame. 

The frame, which was vertically movable, to 
hold the saw, was the next thing to prepare, and 
was mounted in the stationary support of the saw- 
mill. A horizontal shaft was placed below the 
saw frame, one end of which carried a small pulley, 
in line with the large pulley on the shaft of the 
water wheel. The other end of the horizontal 
shaft had a crank. A bar of wood, called a pit- 
man rod, was then attached at one end to the 
crank, and the other end of the pitman was secured 


138 


THE CASTAWAYS 


by a pin to the lower end of the saw frame. By 
this means, when the crank turned, the saw frame 
would move up and down. 

You may be sure that this primitive sawmill 
was not only a source of great delight, but it was 
the means of greatly lightening their labors. The 
work fascinated the boys. They were learning to 
do things of value. 

One evening the Professor said : ‘‘My boys, we 
have worked hard, and it might be well for us to 
have some recreation. I propose a day of hunt- 
ing and exploration. We really do not know our 
domain yet, and we might learn some things of 
value to us before the rains set in.” 

“For my part, I am anxious,” said George, to 
go through the forest.” 

“Well, I should like to see the big river which 
George discovered to the south of us.” 

“Capital idea. Why canT we build a boat and 
travel in that way?” 

“Your ideas are all right, since this must be 
a very large island.” 

“Why do you think so?” 

“Because of the large river which George saw.” 

“That is true. If it is a large river it must take 
considerable territory to form the stream.” 

This opened a new field of activity. To build a 
boat meant time, but with the knowledge that it 
would enable them to form and carry out their pet 
project of exploring the country, they worked day 
and night in cutting out the material and in shap- 
ing it into form for their first boat. 

It was about sixteen feet long, and nearly five 


FIEST EXPLORATION 


139 


feet wide, with a flat bottom, so that it was really 
a staunch vessel, and adapted for their purpose, 
safety being the first consideration. They made 
up some leaf mattresses which they stowed away 
at the rear end of the boat, and constructed small 
cupboards at the sides for their provisions. 

“What bothers me is to find out how we can 
keep the boat from leaking. I know we cannot 
safely launch it unless we fill up all the cracks.” 

“Well, Harry, it would be a good idea to caulk 
it. We can do it with oakum. You saw that used 
on shipboard.” 

“But we haven’t any oakum, and nothing to 
make it with.” 

“Don’t you remember the little blue flower you 
found on the hillside when we returned from Ob- 
servation Hill, several weeks agof’ You will find 
a lot of that all around here. Gather a good load 
of that, and we shall see whether we need to worry 
about caulking.” 

“What is the plant!” 

“A species of wild flax, which will be a first-class 
substitute for the oakum.” 

“Is oakum made from flax!” 

“It is the coarse part of both flax and hemp; 
but we shall use the entire stalk for the present 
job. It would be better, if we had the time, to 
treat it as we have been doing with the ramie.” 

“Why couldn’t we use the ramie just as well, 
because we have a lot of that on hand!” 

“You have forgotten, probably, that ramie re- 
sists moisture, and for caulking purposes we must 


140 


THE CASTAWAYS 


have some material that will absorb moisture to 
a greater or less degree.” 

‘AYhy should it absorb moisture if it is intended 
to keep out the water 

^Tf the material we put in absorbs moisture it 
will swell, as is the case with flax or hemp, and by 
that means it will make the packed seams tighter, 
and so help in keeping the water out.” 

It was not much labor to get the flax, and after 
trimming off the leaves and tops the entire mass 
of stalks was broken up, because the lateness of 
the season had turned the stalks to a dark yellow 
color. 

‘Tt would be prudent for us to gather quite a 
lot of the flax before we set out, as we can put in 
some time during the rainy season in working it 
up. If we wait until we return, the flax may have 
rusted, and so become less valuable, if not 
useless.” 

When the flax had been broken up so as to make 
a rough flber, the worst part of the woody refuse 
was sifted out, and the work of caulking the boat 
was commenced. This was done with a small 
blade, blunt at the ends, by means of which the 
flax was driven into the cracks. When the boat 
was finally launched the water showed itself at 
many places, but the Professor assured them that 
when the wood and the flax had absorbed sufficient 
moisture the swelling of the material would be 
sufficient to exclude the water. 

During the next few days they were busy pre- 
paring the articles necessary to take with them 
on their journey of discovery. First of all they 


FIEST EXPLOEATION 


141 


prepared and put into convenient places sufficient 
arrows for all emergencies, and in addition they 
made some heavy spears for defensive purposes. 

And now came the greatest problem of all ; what 
to do with the cow and the calf. They had not 
made any preparation to keep the animals during 
the rainy season, and so it was thought wise to 
free them, as they felt that they would be able 
later on to capture others to take their places. 
The Professor suggested that they might slaughter 
the animals, and thus enable them to lay in a 
stock of meat, but the boys could not bring them- 
selves to kill them, as they were very tame and 
became great pets. So they were turned loose be- 
fore their departure. 

The day for starting arrived ; they said good-bye 
to the cow and calf, and launched their boat at 
the beach. It had been equipped with a sail 
mounted on a single mast, so that it was easily 
managed, under the instruction of the Profes- 
sor, and after skirting the beach southward for 
several hours they entered a bay, the incurved 
shore of which they followed for some time. 

“There is the river,” said George, enthusiastic- 
ally. Surely enough, to their right, was the mouth 
of a rather wide stream which appeared to run 
westwardly, and to this our voyagers directed the 
boat. 

“It might be well,” said the Professor, “to ob- 
serve the utmost caution as we proceed. We 
must have a common understanding, in case of 
danger. Thus far we have had no knowledge of 
the presence of human beings, but as we go into 


142 


THE CASTAWAYS 


the interior we may find people who are likely to 
bar our progress.” 

“I think you ought to he the captain of our ex- 
pedition, and we should always be guided by your 
advice,” said Harry. 

“On the other hand,” said the Professor, “I am 
of the opinion that one of you should take the lead, 
and 1 will act in an advisory capacity.” 

To this suggestion the boys would not agree, so 
the Professor called the first counsel, and said: 
“Since you have made me commander-in-chief, I 
would make these suggestions : First, that when- 
ever we land, neither of us shall make any journey 
away from the boat on his own account. We 
must always keep in touch with one another. Sec- 
ondly, always keep your arms of defense in con- 
dition and ready for use. Third, one of you must 
be the lookout, while the other keeps his attention 
to navigation. This can be done in turns, so that 
each will become accustomed to the duties of the 
two positions. Fourth, we must not on any ac- 
count build any fires after the sun goes down, as 
we might thereby attract the attention of enemies, 
should there be any.” 

The stream was by no means rapid, but it took 
many turns, and George, who was the first look- 
out, was constantly pointing out the many new 
scenes which they passed during the first two or 
three miles of their journey. Perceptibly the cur- 
rent in the river grew stronger, and they were 
compelled to hug the shore in order to be able to 
make any headway. 


FIKST EXPLOEATION 143 

‘‘It seems to me we are about at the end of 
our journey,” said the Professor. 

“And why?” said Harry, depressed at the in- 
telligence. 

“The appearance of the stream leads me to be- 
lieve that we are approaching a falls, or a por- 
tion of the river which makes a rapid descent, or 
the stream would not be so swift.” 

“Then let us get to the falls, at least. We can 
row the boat, at any rate.” 

In fact, oars became necessary, and although 
they made numerous stops for rest, they found the 
task a most trying one. It was past midday 
when, almost tired out, they sought a suitable 
landing place for the noonday meal. After a 
long rest they again took up the oars. Gradu- 
ally the work became harder and harder and the 
progress slower until, rounding a bend, they were 
surprised and delighted to find themselves facing 
in the distance a beautiful falls, the rumbling 
sound of which they had heard before they made 
the turn. 

“What shall we do now!” said George. 

“Take the boat around the falls,” said Harry. 

“That would be impossible,” said the Professor. 
“It would take days to do that, together with all 
our supplies. We must elect to go forward on 
foot, and carry such provisions and ammunition 
as we can, or else return.” 

“Let us go on, by all means,” said George, and 
this sentiment was seconded by Harry. 

They accordingly approached as near the falls 
as possible, and a safe mooring place was selected. 


144 


THE CASTAWAYS 


The boat was drawn up and securely fastened, and 
the provisions and ammunition selected for their 
journey. 

^Tf possible, let us try to gain the height before 
it is dark,” said the Professor, ‘^as we must make 
as much haste as possible, now that we have to 
depend upon our legs to carry us.” 

^‘How high do you think it is to the top of the 


falls 





Measuring Heights 


“We might measure it,” said the Professor. 

“But where shall we measure it from?” 

“This will be one of the points; but we must 
have another point to measure from. Knowing 
two of the points we can easily find the other 
point.” 

“Why are three points necessary?” 

“Three points are not necessary in order to 
measure a distance, but if the point you wish to 
measure is not accessible you must substitute 
something for the unknown point, and then by 
using two other points the unknown can be ascer- 
tained. This method is known as the triangula- 
tion system.” 

“What is the first step necessary?” 

“To find the length of one line. First measure 
the distance from where we are to the falls, and 


FIRST EXPLORATION 


145 


we will call that the base line A. Now, with your 
tape line, measure off the distance as accurately 
as you can.” 

The boys did so, and as nearly as they could 
determine, the length of the base line (from 1 
to 2) was 360 feet. 

‘^Now have we a straight edge, say, two or 
three feet long? I don^t think we have anything 
but this oar, which is rather straight.” 

^^That will answer admirably. We will now 
stretch a horizontal line, using your tape measure 
for the purpose, so as to represent the base line 
which points, as you will see, to the base of the 
falls. One end of the oar is now put at the end 
of the line (at 1) and pointed to the top of the 
falls. This gives us another line (B), which is 
called the angle. Now, George, measure off, say, 
four feet along the base line and make a mark. 
(See numeral 3.) From this point measure up 
to the angle line B and get the exact distance.” 

“It is just six inches. Professor.” 

“Suppose, now, we call that line C. This line 
C, therefore, gives us the height of the falls.” 

The boys laughed at the absurdity of this state- 
ment. 

“By itself the line C does not give you the true 
height of the falls, but taken in connection with 
the two other lines, it gives the height just as ac- 
curately as though you had measured it with your 
tape line. In other words, the height of the line 
C, from A to B, is the same proportionately as 
the height of the line D is from A to B. You 
may now figure this out and see.” 


146 


THE CASTAWAYS 


‘‘Very well,” said George. “It is done by pro- 
portion. Let me see : Six inches is a half foot, 
so the statement will be, 4' : ; 360' : ( ). Mul- 

tiplying the means, % by 360 is equal to 180 ; and 
dividing this by 4, is equal to 45. So the falls 
would be 45 feet high.” 

“I would do it in this way,” said Harry; “360 
is 90 times 4, so that makes the distance from 1 
to 3 one-ninetieth of the distance from 1 to 2. The 
vertical line C from the point 3 is just six inches, 
so that if one-ninetieth is multiplied by six inches, 
or a half foot, it will show that the vertical line 
which extends up from the falls at 2, is 45.” 

“Either method is correct. But we are losing 
time. If we are ready let us start.” 

As they advanced the ground became more and 
more broken and rocky, and the way was also 
more or less impeded with shrubs and bushes, so 
that it was fully an hour before they could make 
their way to the top of the plateau which now 
lay before them. 

As nearly as they could estimate they were fully 
fifteen miles from their home, although to reach 
that point by way of the river was much farther. 
The woods which they had penetrated some weeks 
before was to their right, and to the left what 
appeared to be a mountainous, or a highly ele- 
vated, plateau. They decided to follow the course 
of the river, but they were now on the north side 
of the stream, and from their position were able 
to see that the other side of the river was com- 
paratively free from large timber. But every- 
where was the inevitable bush and shrub growth. 


FIRST EXPLORATION 


147 


“Why is it,” said George, “that the forests do 
not come down to the ocean f It seems to me that 
all this land should be covered with big trees, 
instead of the little trees we see everywhere.” 

“I am glad your powers of observation were 
great enough to notice that. Can you not think of 
a reason why so many places on our island are 
comparatively bare?” 

“I donT suppose it is on account of the soil, 
is it?” 

“No; that wouldn^t account for it.” 

“I think fire has burnt out the woods,” said 
Harry. 

“You have, in all probability, given the best 
reason.” 

“But if that’s the case then the island must be 
inhabited.” 

“That is one conclusion. On the other hand, 
the island, at some time, may have been visited 
by ships’ crews, and the fire started in that way.” 

This information was not a little disquieting to 
the boys, but it served to add zest to the deter- 
mination to find out what the island contained. 

When night came they were ready to seek a 
camping site, for they were tired and hungry. 


CHAPTER IX 


MAKING THERMOMETER AND OTHER INSTRUMENTS 

It was not a difficult task for our adventurers 
to prepare their meal, as they had agreed not to 
make a fire at night, and when they had finished 
their repast a sheltered spot was selected, and 
wood and brush prepared for their night’s habita- 
tion. 

During the night they heard many unfamiliar 
sounds, but nothing to disturb them. Early the 
next morning they were up, and Harry was the 
first to skirmish around in the near vicinity. On 
every side he found berries and nuts of all de- 
scriptions, and he was particularly pleased to find 
a grove of blackberries, of which he gathered 
a sufficient quantity for breakfast. They were 
keenly relished by all the castaways. 

As soon as they were refreshed they took up 
their journey, which carried them gradually up- 
ward to a higher table land, and before noon they 
had passed the forest on their right and the land- 
scape presented called forth expressions of de- 
light. 

As they were crossing one of the little brooks 
which fed the main stream, they were startled 
by the tramp of animals, splashing through the 
water at their right. There was a small clump 
of underbrush near by, and to that they instinct- 
ively made their way. 


148 


MAKING INSTEUMENTS 


149 


“Some more of our cows,” said Harry. Truly 
enough, the herd, which had been disturbed, was 
crossing up the slight incline on the other side 
of the stream and they had a good view of the 
animals. 

“It seems that we have a large number of those 
beasts,” said George. “I wonder if there are not 
others of their kind around?” 

“You may be sure,” said the Professor, “that 
we have not yet found the real animals.” 

“I have often wondered since we came to the 
island why we haven’t seen more animals than 
we have.” 

“You must remember that we have not gone 
very far from the seashore.” 

“But, Professor, why don’t they come to the 
seashore?” 

“As a general thing they stay where fresh water 
is abundant, and the sea does not attract them. 
For this reason wild animals are always found 
in the interior, where also they have more pro- 
tection.” 

“Look at this path. Professor; do you suppose 
it was made by animals?” 

“It seems to be. But we might examine the 
tracks more closely. Ah, I see some tracks here 
that were not made by the cows.” 

“What are they?” exclaimed both boys eagerly. 

“Some quadruped without a split hoof. But 
stop, this is getting interesting !” The boys were 
now alert. They could not understand the Pro- 
fessor’s interest in the path. 

“I believe, from the indications, that we may 


150 


THE CASTAWAYS 


soon have the pleasure of getting acquainted with 
several kinds of animals unlike our cows.” 

“As we are at the present time in the business 
of finding out what lies about us, we may as well 
follow up this path.” 

“But that will take us from the river.” 

“So much the better.” 

“Be quiet, I see something. It moved that bush 
yonder,” said Harry, in a suppressed tone. He 
fitted an arrow to his bow and stooping low crept 
forward. When he had advanced about twenty 
feet he drew the bow and shot. Something 
dropped to the ground through the leaves, and 
both boys sprang forward. When they reached 
the spot nothing was found but what appeared 
to be a spiked ball. 

“What is that funny-looking thing?” asked 
George. 

“We might have some fun if we only had some 
water near. HonT touch it, because I see you 
havenT hit it.” Harry was very much disap- 
pointed, of course, at his poor marksmanship. 

“Shall we use some of the water from the 
pouch ?” 

“I had quite forgotten that,” said the Professor. 
“Certainly. Pour a little over him.” George did 
so, and to their surprise an animal unrolled itself. 

“This is a hedgehog, and it plays the possum, 
only it is not so smart as the possum. You see, 
the water surprised him; the possum couldn’t be 
fooled in that way.” 

“Is he good to eat?” asked Harry, eagerly. “If 
so, we must have him for dinner.” 


MAKING INSTEUMENTS Ibl 

The hedgehog did make a good meal, and there 
was enough left for several meals. 

This is the way in which they roasted the hedge- 
hog : It was first dressed and then mounted upon 
a stick about three feet long, so that the body of 
the animal was practically wrapped around the 
stick, which was of green wood, so selected because 
it would not readily burn. Two posts, with forked 
tops, were driven into the ground, two and a half 
feet apart, and the stick with the animal, laid on 
the two forked posts. A fire was then built below 
the hedgehog, and the stick was turned slowly. 

This method of cooking animals and fish is very 
common among South Sea Islanders, and meat 
cooked in this way is most delicious. It is the 
original broiling process. 

That afternoon, while passing through a sort 
of open forest, along which the trail led, they sat 
down on the trunk of a fallen tree, for a brief 
rest. George’s inquisitive nature could not be kept 
quiet, so he strolled to the left, in the direction 
of a number of trees which attracted his atten- 
tion. In a few minutes he rushed back, with the 
startling announcement that he had seen a man 
in a tree. 

This was indeed news of the first importance. 

“Did he see you?” asked Harry. “What did he 
look like?” 

“He was in a tree, and looked down at me with- 
out saying a word.” 

George pointed to the tree, and without fur- 
ther words they cautiously moved toward it. 


152 


THE CASTAWAYS 


“There, he was on that tree. See that limb to 
the right? He was sitting there.” 

“Are yon sure of it, George?” 

“I conld not be mistaken.” 

“Probably it was only yonr imagination. Did 
you see the tree from this identical point?” 

“Yes, there he is now; see him on the tree to 
the right?” 

“That is an Orang-ontan.” 

“My, isn’t he a big fellow ! Is he dangerous ?” 

“Not in the least. They never seem to defend 
themselves.” 

“What is he doing there? See him pulling off 
the branches? How queerly he acts!” 

“He is simply building a seat for comfort.” 

“Building a seat ? How amusing I” 

“There, see how cozily he has seated himself. 
That is the only kind of house he has. They 
will weave a seat within the space of a minute, 
and do it very deftly. If we could catch one of 
them, or a young one, it could be easily tamed, 
and they are very atfectionate animals. There 
are many in captivity, and have been taught to 
make their own beds, to handle a cup or saucer, 
and a spoon, and some of them even exhibit human 
ingenuity.” 

During that afternoon they saw quite a number 
of the same animals, but they were no longer 
frightened by them. Many of them are five feet 
tall, and their arms are so long that their hands 
almost touch the ground when they stand erect. 

The weather was now getting a little cooler, and 
as nearly as they could calculate the time it was 


MAKING INSTEUMENTS 


153 


about the first of March, during which time in 
the northern portions of the United States the 
weather is still unsettled. In the south temperate 
zone March corresponds, in point of temperature, 
with September in the north temperate zone. 

“If we have not lost all calculations this is 
the first day of March, and assuming that the winds 
and currents here do not affect the temperature, 
autumn begins to-day,” said the Professor. 

“Does autumn begin on the same day in all 
countries in the north or the south temperate 
zones!” asked George. 

“In the north temperate zone there is a differ- 
ence between the eastern and western shores of 
the continents. In the United States, west to 
the Eocky Mountains, spring, summer, autumn 
and winter begin in the months of March, June, 
September and December, respectively ; but on the 
Pacific Coast those periods are one month earlier. 
The same is true on the western coast of Europe, 
where the beginnings of the seasons are February, 
May, August and November.” 

“And why should the seasons be earlier on the 
western coast!” 

“Principally on account of the ocean currents, 
which carry warm air to the western coasts.” 

“I know that the Gulf Stream is a current which 
flows from the Gulf of Mexico diagonally across 
the Atlantic and strikes Europe north of England, 
but I did not know that the Pacific had a gulf 
stream also.” 

“Yes, the gulf stream of Japan, called the Kuro 
Sivo. That flows diagonally across the Pacific 


154 


THE CASTAWAYS 


and strikes Alaska, and from that point it moves 
sontliwardly along the entire western coast of the 
United States. As a result the coast of the State 
of Washington is warmer in winter than North 
Carolina is on the Atlantic coast, notwithstanding 
North Carolina is fully one thousand miles farther 
south than Washington.” 

. “But how is it possible for the water to keep its 
heat while the stream is going that long distance V’ 

“Water absorbs more heat than any other sub- 
stance, pound for pound. It will absorb more heat 
than gold or iron, and it loses its heat more slowly 
than most substances. When the streams leave 
their source they are very deep, and gradually 
widen out and become shallower, so that the Gulf 
Stream in mid Atlantic is probably four hundred 
miles wide, and has a temperature of from 10 to 
20 degrees higher than the surrounding ocean.” 

“How fast do the streams move!” 

“From two to five miles per hour.” 

“So the stream in the Atlantic must take about 
forty days to cross!” 

“Yes, approximately that.” 

They still followed the path, or rather one of 
the paths, for many of them merged into the main 
one, and it was evident that the island contained 
many species of animals, but their timid natures 
did not permit of a close approach. They saw 
many of the cow tribe, and numerous wild hogs, 
but the boys had no opportunities to try their 
weapons on any of them. 

The feeling of fear was to a great extent dis- 


MAKING INSTEUMENTS 155 

pelled in the boys. Their previous experience had 
given them courage. 

On the third day after their departure from 
home they estimated that they must be fully fifty 
miles from the sea. Although they doubtless had 
reached a considerable altitude, the sea was not 
visible in either direction. They were probably 
from ten to fifteen miles from the river. 

To the north of them in the distance the land- 
scape had the appearance of slightly rolling hills 
and timber. To the southward appeared a faint 
outline of mountains, and to the west was a rolling 
plain interspersed by timber. 

‘‘How high up do you suppose we aref^ asked 
Harry. 

“That is a difficult matter to judge in the ab- 
sence of proper instruments ; to make a guess, I 
should say anywhere from 400 to 600 feet above 
sea level,” was the Professor’s reply. 

“Isn’t there any way we could determine that 

“It would be impossible to make any calcula- 
tions without the proper instruments.” 

“How is the observation as to the height made?” 

“The altitude is determined by means of a mer- 
cury column.” 

“What do you mean by a mercury column?” 

“A column of mercury a little over 29 inches 
high weighs the same as a column of air about 
forty miles high; 29 inches of mercury weighs 
just as much as a column of water 32 feet high. 
Eemember these three things: If we have three 
pipes, each, say, one inch in diameter, one pipe 29 
inches high, one pipe 32 feet high, and the other 


156 


THE CASTAWAYS 


pipe 40 miles high, and filled with mercury, water 
and air, respectively, each will weigh fourteen 
and three-quarter pounds. That represents the 
air pressure on every square inch of surface.” 

‘^But I don’t see how that will enable us to tell 
the altitude, as you call it.” 

^‘Well, then, suppose you take one-half of the 
water out of the tube, how much will the water 
remaining in it weigh?” 

‘^Why, just half as much as when it is full.” 

‘^Exactly so. On the same principle, then, if, 
in measuring the air column, you shorten that col- 
umn, its weight will be in the proportion short- 
ened, will it not?” 

^^^^at is the instrument called which determines 
altitude?” 

‘^The barometer.” 

‘T thought the mercury was used to indicate the 
temperature ?” 

^^So it does. But in that case the expansive 
quality of the metal is used. Heat expands nearly 
all known substances. Ice, on the other hand, con- 
tracts by the application of heat. Mercury ex- 
pands more than any other metal, and moreover it 
is in a liquid form and is therefore suitable for 
determining temperature and altitude.” 


CHAPTEE X 


SIGNS OP SAVAGE NEIGHBORS 

The landscape now became more rolling and un- 
even, and they were obliged to cross several hills 
which ranged east and west, and finally reached 
a small stream flowing to the east. The river 
valley was rather narrow, and at one side or the 
other the stream was bounded by rocky hills, which 
were rough and jagged in many places. 

In making their observations they discovered 
that the stream was flowing from the northwest. 
The South Eiver, as they called the larger one, 
which they had left two days before, flowed from 
the southwest, and when they sat down to rest the 
Professor said : 

^^What do you infer from the direction of these 
two streams, coming as they do from the north- 
west and from the southwest? We ought to be 
able to judge somewhat of the character of the 
country by the direction and the flow of streams.” 

^^Do you think. Professor, that these streams will 
tell us what kind of country there is to the west 
of us?” 

‘We can learn of the character of the land be- 
yond, short of an actual investigation, only by 
making use of such knowledge as we may possess 
of other streams that go through countries which 
we do know. We might be able to tell with reason- 
able certainty whether the water of the river is 
157 


158 THE CASTAWAYS 

supplied by springs or whether it is surface 
drainage.” 

‘‘How does the water tell you that?” 

“By ascertaining whether the water is hard or 
soft. If it is hard, it is safe to infer that the 
river is formed of springs. If it is soft, it is more 
than probable that it is supplied by surface 
drainage.” 

“Do you think the water of this stream is hard?” 

“Suppose, Harry, you try it with some of the 
soap.” 

The soap test was applied, and Harry said : “It 
acts as though the water was pretty soft.” 

“The water at the Cataract is soft, too. I won- 
der whether this is not our river, after all.” 

“That is a good inference, and it is worth while 
to find out for a very good reason.” 

“And what is that?” asked George. 

“Simply, because there is mineral in those rocks, 
and it may be a very convenient thing to raft down 
the ore to the Cataract house, as well as some of 
the fine timber we have seen all around here.” 

“When we go back, why not follow this stream 
down?” said George. 

“What will we do with our boat on the South 
Eiver?” asked Harry, who was always looking on 
the practical side of things. 

The decision as to their course was left entirely 
to the boys to determine, and the Professor was 
finally appealed to for a decision. He said : 

“It seems to me that the wisest course would be 
to continue our explorations up this stream as far 
and as long as we have the time and the inclina- 


SAVAGE NEIGHBORS 


159 


tion to put to this work, and then build a raft and 
float down the stream, which may or may not bring 
us to the Cataract. If it does land us there, it 
will be less than a half day’s journey across to the 
South River where we left our boat, and by that 
means we shall have made a grand circuit through 
our domain.” 

“Capital,” said both boys, in a breath. “But 
why not make the raft now!” was Harry’s re- 
sponse. 

“That might be done, but it may be a tiresome 
task to float it up the stream.” 

“What I wanted to know was, how we could find 
out about the character of the land to the west of 
us by the stream. We have been imagining what 
was to the east of us.” 

“Well, then, my inference from the stream is, 
that the land beyond, and through which this 
stream runs, is rather level, and that between this 
river and South River is rolling land, and that the 
South River has its origin in the mountains; 
whereas this stream has its source from compara- 
tively level land.” 

“Why do you think so!” 

“This water flows slowly, whereas the South 
River is a quickly moving stream, and thus shows 
a high source, for one thing; and in addition to 
that the South River is hard water.” 

“Well, I am glad we explored this river, because 
mountain travel would be pretty hard work.” 

“Of course, if this supposed island is inhabited 
we are more likely to find it out by going west- 
wardly, rather than in the mountainous parts.” 


160 


THE CASTAWAYS 


For three days more they journeyed up along 
the stream. At the rate they traveled, which did 
not exceed fifteen miles per day, they must have 
been fully sixty or seventy miles from the Cata- 
ract home. 

They had been in the habit of following the crest 
of the hill nearest the- river, as such a course gave 
them a better view of the country, and they went 
down to the valley only when water was needed, 
or when they- took their meals or camped for the 
night. 

Just before they were about to descend the hill 
on the third day referred to, and which was now 
the eighth day of their journey, they crossed a 
well-beaten path which led toward the river. 

They remembered the other path from the South 
Eiver, which had lured them away, and decided to 
follow this trail. When they landed on the lower 
level and were about fifty feet from the river bank, 
the Professor abruptly called attention to a spot 
not ten feet away. It was the unmistakable evi- 
dence of a fire, as portions of charred wood still 
remained. 

The boys stood there almost petrified. Their 
worst fears were now realized. Somebody must 
be living on the island. The Professor was quiet, 
and remained intently observing the fire plot, and 
also critically viewing the surroundings. 

“I do not know,” he finally said, ^Vhether this 
is an occasion for rejoicing or for caution.” 

“What shall we do?” said Harry. 

“There is no reason for immediate alarm. We 
are certainly in no more danger now than a half 


SAVAGE NEIGHBORS 


161 


hour ago. A little knowledge, it is said, is a dan- 
gerous thing, and sometimes, as in this case, a little 
knowledge only appears to be dangerous.” 

‘^Do you think the fire was made by savages?” 
suppose you both have read some of the 
famous detective stories in which wonderful deduc- 
tions were drawn from the smallest things. Here 
is an opportunity for you to undertake a little 
detective work on your own account.” 

They examined the water’s edge in the endeavor 
to get traces of footprints, if possible. There 
were no signs of bones or other objects which af- 
forded the slightest clue. All the boys saw were 
relics of a small fire. Nothing more. 

^‘What is your conclusion?” asked the Professor. 

‘T can make nothing out of it,” said Harry. 
‘^Have you discovered anything?” 

‘T think they were savages, or at any rate not 
civilized men. Furthermore, there were only two 
or three at most.” 

^‘Why do you think so ?” 

‘^From several indications. One of the sticks 
we examined was used for starting the fire.” 

‘‘We hadn’t noticed that. But we also used 
sticks to start our fire, and we are not yet sav- 
ages.” 

“Quite true; but this stick was used in a way 
peculiar to savages of the South Seas.” 

“How is that?” 

The Professor picked up one of the wooden 
sticks. “This is the piece which gives me a clue. 
You will see it has a blunted charred end and 
the other end is smooth. You will also notice that 


162 THE CASTAWAYS 

the middle of the stick has circumferential marks 
or creases.” 

'‘What does that indicate I” 

"That they made their fire with this stick by 
holding one end against a block of wood, and rap- 
idly revolving it by means of a bow-string. The 
mark in the middle of the stick clearly indicates 
this.” 

"But what makes you think there were only two 
or three!” 

"The vegetation around the fire was not dam- 
aged, and it must have been at least a month 
since the fire was made.” 

""What makes you think that!” 

"You will notice that grass has already grown 
up through many places where the fire must have 
been.” 

"What puzzles me is, what they made the fire for. 
There are no bones or other evidences of a feast 
here.” 

"Animals may have removed all such evidences 
since that time.” 

All doubts as to the human habitation on the 
island were now dispelled. They looked at each 
other with questioning eyes. 

"Shall we go on or return!” was Harry’s first 
question. 

"For my part, I think the only thing we can 
do is to return,” was George’s response. 

"Yes,” said the Professor, "we are not yet in a 
position to meet any wandering tribes, and en- 
deavor to establish friendly relations.” 


SAVAGE NEIGHBORS 163 

“Then hadnT we better build our raft and 
leave as soon as possible said Harry. 

“We cannot do tbis any too soon.” 

It did not require any urging to stimulate tbe 
boys. They were now brought face to face with 
a disquieting problem. It was not what they 
knew, but what they didn’t know, that brought 
anxiety. With their combined energy it did not 
take long to select and prepare a number of tree 
limbs, and they were facilitated in this by the dry 
limbs of a fallen tree near at hand. 

“If you will examine some of the broken limbs 
you will see where our visitors got their fuel. 
You will also notice that they broke the limbs, 
but did not cut them with any tool.” 

To the boys this was conclusive proof that when 
the time came they would have to deal with a race 
of ignorant, if not savage, people, and it was now 
their aim to go home and make the necessary prep- 
arations for the time when they must meet them. 
The boys knew, as well as the Professor, that 
sooner or later they would be thrown into contact 
with them. 

Before noon of the ninth day they were well on 
their way down the stream, which flowed lazily 
along, and as they proceeded the hills on both 
sides grew lower, and the surface of the surround- 
ing country less rough, but the trees grew thicker. 
Before the end of the day they had forests on 
both sides of the stream, and they found that the 
course the stream took was eastwardly with a 
southern trend. 


164 


THE CASTAWAYS 


can’t be possible that this stream flows into 
the South River?” said Harry. 

‘T don’t think so,” said the Professor; ‘Ve 
should have crossed the stream on our way up, 
and I do not remember any stream as large as 
this anywhere on our route up along South River.” 

They made fully twenty miles the first day, and 
the second day brought them to the eastern edge 
of the forest, so that they had covered at least 
forty miles. The flow of the stream now appeared 
to be probably about two miles per hour, and they 
hoped that the forest from which they emerged 
was the eastern limit of the wood which they had 
entered on their former journey. 

Toward night of the fourth day they again en- 
tered a very dense wood, where it was agreed they 
would camp for the night, so they could pass 
through the forest during the following day. Here 
George was successful in shooting his first ani- 
mal, a hare, and they made a good meal before 
retiring. 

Earlier than usual the next morning they were 
astir, and after a hasty breakfast, were again un- 
der way. Before noon they were relieved to find 
themselves at the eastern edge of the forest, and 
the stream now turned to the northeast. 

^^Stop,” said the Professor, peering over the side 
of the raft. ‘‘Let us examine that.” Harry and 
George both dug their poles into the bed of the 
stream and brought the raft to a sudden stop. 

“Push it closer in to this side,” said the Pro- 
fessor. “Do you see the footprints on the shore?” 

The eyes of the boys opened in astonishment. 


SAVAGE NEIGHBOES 165 

George was the first to recover himself, and 
burst into laughter. 

‘Gt seems we are afraid of our own shadows.” 

Harry did not see any cause for laughter, but 
the amused smile of the Professor was sufficient 
to reassure him. 

“Here is where we crossed the river when we 
first went into the forest; don’t you remember, 
Harry!” 

“So we are really on the river which fiows to 
the Cataract!” said Harry. 

“We have not yet proven this to be the case, but 
it looks like it.” 

It did prove to be the case, however, and shortly 
after noon they saw Observation Hill in the dis- 
tance, and within an hour were in sight of their 
home. 

“What has become of our flag! It isn’t there.” 

“I would like to know what that is, moving down 
at the house!” said Harry, as he dug his pole into 
the stream and brought the raft to a standstill. 

“It looks as though we have company,” said the 
Professor, “and it is time to proceed cautiously.” 

It was now Harry’s turn to burst out in laughter. 
“Turn about is fair play,” he said, as the Profes- 
sor and George looked at Harry intently, to dis- 
cover the cause of his mirth. 

“Cows ! look at the herd !” and Harry dug down 
his pole and gave a vigorous push to impel the 
raft forwardly. 

As they neared the Cataract it was only too 
plain that their captives had induced others of 
their friends to take up quarters with them, and 


166 


THE CASTAWAYS 


when they finally disembarked and made their 
appearance over the cliff walls it was a signal for 
the herd to scamper down the river. 

Their particular cow, however, and the calf, kept 
on feeding unconcernedly, and the calf, particu- 
larly, seemed to be pleased with their return. The 
herd, consisting of a bull, five cows and four calves, 
or younger animals, did not go far, and before 
many days passed they became familiar with the 
boys and returned to the quarters. They had 
learned the lesson that the animals could take care 
of themselves, so that there was not thereafter 
any inore care or trouble from that quarter. 


CHAPTER XI 


THE FIGHT OF THE YAKS 

It was, indeed, a pleasure to be borne again, 
even though the absence was only for twelve days. 
Harry^s first thought was for the sawmill, which 
had been undisturbed. George went immediately 
to Observation Hill to investigate the disappear- 
ance of the flag. He found neither flag nor pole. 

When he reported this on his return it was a 
source of considerable speculation. There had 
been no storms of any consequence since their de- 
parture, so it could not be attributed to that 
cause. 

At their consultation that evening it was de- 
cided immediately to put up their factory build- 
ing, adjoining the sawmill, so that for some days 
they were engaged in cutting and rolling down to 
the river a quantity of logs which they could easily 
handle. These were floated down and finally cut 
up into boards for the sides, floors, and roof, and 
other trunks were cut for the joists, studding and 
sills, so that fully a week elapsed before they were 
ready to put up the building. 

This was a structure fifteen by twenty feet in 
size, and was distant about fifty feet from their 
house, and to this factory they removed all their 
apparatus ; and, at the suggestion of the Professor, 
they spent several hours each day in getting to- 
gether the various ores, slate, clay, and other like 
167 


168 


THE CASTAWAYS 


products in the near vicinity, so that they would 
at all times have the material to work with. 

In addition to this they cut a quantity of a soft 
wood, not unlike the common pine, and they also 
secured samples of hard wood, particularly oak, 
and a kind of redwood. This, when cut up, was 
stacked up to dry for future use. 

They then made a lean-to shelter for a furnace, 
as the Professor suggested that they should now 
try to work their mines, and also produce a quan- 
tity of iron and steel, for the reason that lack 
of firearms was a serious handicap to them. 

^^Do you mean that we can make guns!’’ asked 
George. 

‘‘Why not ? We have made some things that are 
nearly as difficult and I see no reason why we can- 
not provide those articles as well.” 

You may be sure that this announcement was 
not vetoed by the boys. 

“Our first step must be to make the tools — good 
cutting tools — for our purposes; and, George, 
while Harry is preparing the tools and tempering 
them, you may beat out several more pans from 
the metal sheets we still have, as we are very 
much in need of cooking utensils. Then we also 
need a stove which will be more convenient than 
the one we have.” 

In a few days more the tools were completed, 
and George had made up, out of the firebrick, a 
really serviceable stove for cooking purposes. 
YHien Harry announced the completion of the tools 
he called the Professor into conference and showed 
his products with a great deal of pride. 


FIGHT OF THE YAKS 


169 


“See, I have made a few sharp cutting chisels, 
as you directed, which I know will cut iron, but 
I do not yet see how I can use them.” 

“Then why not make a lathe to use them in?” 

“But to make a lathe requires so many things, 
and I don’t know where to begin.” 

“Well, in order to make a lathe, requires a 
planer, a sharper, a drill, and a milling machine. 
It does seem to be a pretty hard job, to say the 
least,” said the Professor. “But how do you sup- 
pose the first lathe was made?” 

“We must make something that makes some- 
thing to make the lathe with, I suppose.” 

“That is a pretty good answer, because it states 
the conditions exactly.” 

“What is the most important thing in a lathe?” 

“First, a revolving mandrel or spindle ; and sec- 
ond, a straight frame or body, to carry the cutting 
tool.” 

“I think some of our oak pieces would do for the 
frame.” 

Two of the heaviest and finest pieces of the oak 
were then selected for the frame. These were 
very rough, so that it was necessary to devise 
means for dressing them down true. 

“I must have a plane,” said Harry. 

“While you are at it, make two, one of them 
14 inches long and the other 28 inches long.” 

“Why are two needed?” 

“The short one is the jack-plane, and can be 
used for taking off the rough saw cut ; the other is 
the fore or finishing plane, and, on account of its 


170 


THE CASTAWAYS 


length, is what you need for finishing off and true- 
ing the bars of the frame.” * 

The two pieces of oak selected were four by 
six inches in dimension, and each six feet long. 
These were placed parallel with each other, four 
inches apart, and mounted on heavy legs at each 
end. 

‘^Now, Harry, do you think you could forge out 
a shaft, say, 18 inches long and an inch or more 
in diameter!” 

After some work he succeeded, but as it was still 
rough and uneven, both boys had to use the grind- 
stone to true it up to the best possible condition. 
When this was completed to their satisfaction 
the Professor suggested that one end of the shaft 
should have a head or a disk attached. Here was, 
indeed, a problem for Harry. He pondered over 
the matter for a long time, and then took the prob- 
lem to the Professor. 

‘‘Don’t you think you can weld it on! You have 
done some pretty good work in that line.” 

“If I weld it on it will destroy all our work in 
trueing up the shaft.” 

“That is so,” said the Professor, “so I suppose 
the only other remedy now is to braze it on.” 

“How is that done, and have we the materials 
for it!” 

“If you will look in the storeroom you will find 
some copper there that we took from one of our 
mines nearly two months ago. And while you are 

* Carpentry for Boys, New York Book Company, goes fully into 
the structure and use of tools. 


FIGHT OF THE YAKS 171 

there bring along one of the lumps of fine salt 
that we found.” 

^‘Do you mean the kind you wouldn’t let us use f ’ 

^^Yes.” 

“Well, wasn’t that salt?” 

“No, it is borax.” 

“What is that for?” 

“To use as a flux.” 

“I don’t understand why a flux must be used.” 

“So as to facilitate the unity of the copper with 
the steel.” 

“Do you intend to unite copper and steel?” 

“Yes, that is what the brazing process means. 
Unfortunately, we are not yet in a position where 
we can recover any of the zinc from the blende 
ore I spoke to you about some weeks ago, and of 
which we have some samples. As it is, we must 
use the pure copper, but if we had some zinc we 
could make a hard solder which would melt at a 
much lower temperature than copper, and thus 
greatly aid us.” 

“How is the hard solder made?” 

“It is composed of nearly equal parts of copper 
and zinc. Brass is a compound of two parts cop- 
per and one part zinc, and is harder than zinc, 
and also works better than copper.” 

“Come out and see the fun, Harry,” cried George, 
as he appeared at the factory. Harry was out in 
an instant. Two of the cows were engaged in a 
fierce fight on the upper plateau or elevated por- 
tion of ground, and close to the low cliff that 
bounded the field below the cataract. Their 
method of fighting was not unlike that followed by 


172 


THE CASTAWAYS 


the genuine bovine species, with the locked horns, 
surging hack and forth in a most vigorous man- 
ner. After this had continued for some time one 
of the animals, being on the upper or rising side 
of the clitf, bore down upon the other with such 
velocity as completely to overturn the one lower 
down, and before it could regain its feet was 
swept down over the cliff, which at this point was 
fully fifteen feet high. 

The animal lay there without moving, for a time, 
completely stunned. Without waiting the boys 
rushed down, to find that all of the animal’s legs 
had been broken. The Professor soon followed, 
and seeing the condition of the animal advised that 
it be killed, a task which he undertook to perform. 

Here was the opportunity for which the boys 
long had waited, and it came to them unexpectedly. 
They set to work skinning the animal, and in quar- 
tering the carcass, every part of which was pre- 
served. A large portion was put into a strong 
brine and turned into corned beef, and for some 
days they had the best steak and roast imaginable, 
considering that this was the first real beef they 
had tasted for months. 

‘ AVhat shall we do with the hide 1 If we could 
only tan it.” 

^‘That is just what we must do,” said the Pro- 
fessor. 

^^Tell us what to do,” said George, all excitement, 
at the announcement. 

‘‘Well, George, I’ll commission you to get some 
of that rock which we saw sticking from the hill 
near the spring.” 


FIGHT OF THE YAKS 173 

He was off in an instant, and finally brought 
several pieces. 

‘^Tliis will not do at all. It must be limestone, 
because we must make lime.” 

Both boys now took a hand in the search for 
the right kind of stone. 

‘‘You can tell limestone from the other kinds, 
particularly because it has no sand in its composi- 
tion, and furthermore, it is a rock with definite 
lines of cleavage. Notice that rock. It is a sand> 
stone, and is also darker than the limestone that 
we must have.” 

With these suggestions they finally succeeded 
in getting a fine quality of stone. 

“Now let us make a lime kiln. Here is where 
our furnace will come in to good purpose. Down 
at the bottom make an arch of the firebrick, so 
there will be plenty of openings through the arch. 
Now break up the stone, so the pieces are not too 
large, and put them into the furnace, and build 
up the stone so as to make sufficient spaces between 
the stones.” 

Several hours of this work completed the job, 
and charcoal was used to start the fire, and after- 
wards wood was used to supply the heat. 

“We now have a fairly good-sized job before 
us,” said the Professor, “because we must keep up 
the burning for at least three days and three 
nights, so we will work in shifts during the night, 
or we will ruin the product. Fire must be sup- 
plied at intervals right along until we get lime.” 

“Why does it take so long to make the lime?” 

“The object of the fire is to drive the car- 


174 


THE CASTAWAYS 


bonic acid out of the stone, and when that is com- 
pleted it is fully calcined, as it is called. The 
product is known as calcium for this reason.’^ 

^Tt seems to me that we have a pretty good lot 
of lime for one hide.” 

^Tt does seem so ; but we have uses for the part 
we do not need in the tanning process.” 

^^And what is that. Professor?” 

^^DonT you think we could use plaster of Paris, 
and also cement, if we had it?” 

‘^So we could. But how is plaster of Paris made 
out of the lime?” 

‘Tf we roast the lime at a low heat and grind 
it we have plaster of Paris, which is technically 
called Carbonate of Calcium.” 

^^But that isn’t cement, is it? I know it gets 
hard.” 

‘^No ; in order to make the hard-setting cement, 
the lime is mixed with river mud, which contains 
the finest particles of sand, and this is then roasted 
or calcined.” 

At the end of three days the fire was allowed 
to die out and the furnace cooled down. When 
they opened the kiln they were delighted to find a 
beautiful quality of lime, a sample of which was 
taken by the Professor and water poured over it. 
Immediately the water began to smoke, and the 
rock finally broke apart. 

“You know what this is called?” 

“Yes, that is slaking the lime. Wouldn’t that 
be the thing to plaster our house with?” 

“I presume we shall get to that by and by.” 


FIGHT OF THE YAKS 175 

“And now for the hide. What shall we put it 
inf’ 

“Probably the most convenient thing will be to 
dig a hole and resort to our well-known way of 
using clay for a lining.” 

This was speedily done, a quantity of lime was 
duly slaked, and the hide submerged in the lime 
water thus made. 

“What does the lime do to the hidef^ 

“The object of the lime is to remove the hair.” 

“How long will it take to do this ?” 

“That is a difficult matter to determine,” said 
the Professor. “We may not be able to remove 
the hair at all by the present process and we may 
have to do it all over again.” 

“Why is it so difficult to tell about it now?” 

“In the treatment of leather modern science and 
invention has found a means to hasten every step 
in the process, but the removing of the hair is 
still as slow a process as it was three thousand 
years ago. It is only within the past few years 
that the discovery was made which accounted for 
this. It appears that there is a tiny bacteria, 
which is germinated by the lime acting on the 
tissues of the hide, and the peculiar function of 
this germ is to burrow down to the roots of the 
hairs and loosen them. The natural action of lime 
is to tighten the hair more firmly, were it not for 
the aid of the tiny insect.” 

Tfie pelt was left in the brine for several weeks, 
and when removed it was found that the hairs were 
still tightly adhering. 

“Too bad,” said Harry. “I hoped we could get 


176 


THE CASTAWAYS 


a good sample of leather, because it would come in 
very handy for shoes.” 

“We must not despair. Let us take out the hide 
and put it into another solution, and be sure to 
preserve the lime water that it has been soak- 
ing in.” 

“Of what use is that!” 

“The singular thing is that lime water in which 
the hides has soaked, will in time breed the bac- 
teria necessary. In fact, the lime water which 
has once removed hair is the best adapted for de- 
hairing, so we may yet be able to get the hair 
off.” 

The Professor’s statement was really found to 
be the fact for, when later on, the hide was put 
back into the original lime solution, there was 
evidence within a week thereafter that the hair 
was coming out. 

“Wlien we take out the pelt be sure to save the 
hair.” 

“Of what earthly use can the hair be to us!” 

“It will make fairly good blankets, if we only 
had enough of it.” 

“Blankets out of that short hair!” 

“Yes, felt blankets ; and we can make them with- 
out having to depend upon a weaving loom.” 


CHAPTER XII 

HAENESSING THE CATAEACT 

“Well, Harry,” said the Professor, one day, 
“how is the lathe coming on 

“I have made a very fine bed, as you directed, ' 
and have also built on one end a framework to 
hold the mandrel, and a sliding tail stock which 
I can adjust at any point, and hold it securely.” 

“That is good. But I see you haven’t brazed 
on the disk yet.” 

“No, but I am ready to do it with your assist- 
ance.” 

“Can you find any means to hold the disk tem- 
porarily to the end of the mandrel? If so, we 
are ready to make a kind of blower to supply a 
large quantity of air to the fuel.” 

“Why do we need so much air?” 

“Because the heat we are able to make will de- 
pend on the amount of air we can supply to the 
fuel. Carbon fuel requires at least two parts of 
oxygen to one part of carbon, and as our fuel is 
in the solid form we shall need at least four times 
as much air as we can get by a natural draft, such 
as we have been depending on in our previous 
work.” 

“Couldn’t we make a bellows out of the piece 
of bearskin that is left ?” 

“Capital idea. Get it at once, and while we have 
the power, we might as well hitch up the handles 
177 


178 


THE CASTAWAYS 


of the blower to our water-wheel shaft and let it 
do the work for us.” 

‘^So we can.” 

George undertook at once to prepare the bear- 
skin, which was cut into an oval or elongated 
shape, and tacked to the edges of a pair of pear- 
shaped boards. One of the narrow edges of the 
boards was then secured to a square block of wood 
which had a hole through it, and the narrow end 
of the other board was secured to the block by 
means of the leather, so as to form a hinge, and by 
that means the wide end of one of the boards could 
be moved to and from the other board, and the 
bearskin, which connected the edges of the two 
boards, served as the collapsible part of the 
bellows. 

‘‘We havenT completed the bellows yet,” said 
the Professor. “We have a hole through the block 
for the air to get out, but we have no provision 
for the air to get in.” 

“It will be an easy matter to bore a hole in one 
of the boards.” 

George did so, and the Professor then requested 
him to move the hinged end of the board to and 
fro. 

“This does not force out air. What is the mat- 
ter with it ?” 

“I notice you have no valve in it.” 

“I had forgotten that. But how is the valve 
attached?” 

“It must be made to open inwardly. A piece 
of the bearskin will do, one end of which can be 
tacked to the inside of the board, so the piece 


HAENESSma THE CATARACT 179 


will cover the hole. Now, when you open the 
bellows out, the air will go in through the hole, 
and when you press the boards together the air, 
in trying to get out of the hole, will close the valve 
and thus find itself imprisoned. But you should 
put in another valve at the block, or nozzle, as 
the block with the hole in it really is, and that 
valve must open outwardly.” 

This bellows was finally adjusted and attached 
to the water-wheel shaft so that it kept up a con- 
tinual pumping motion. A wooden tube was then 
run from the nozzle of the bellows to the space 
below the fire-box of the furnace. The furnace 
was simply a squarely built structure of firebrick, 
with broken up pieces of firebrick in the bottom 
on which the coke was laid, and below which the 
end of the air nozzle was placed. 

When the fuel was ignited it did not take long 
to bring the coke up to a white heat. In the mean- 
time Harry had been able, with his cold chisels, 
to cut out grooves near the end of the mandrel, 
and had succeeded in forming four fingers from 
one side of the disk, so that by dint of hard work 
the fingers were finally turned inwardly and 
served to hold the end of the mandrel by being 
driven into the grooves made in the end of the 
mandrel. 

^^Are you all ready? Then bury the disk and 
end of the mandrel in the white coke, and when 
the mandrel and disk are at a white heat also put 
plenty of borax around the place where the disk 
is to be joined to the mandrel, and then drop small 


180 


THE CASTAWAYS 


pellets of the brass on. As soon as the brass 
melts the mandrel mnst be taken out.” 

The instructions were explicitly followed out, 
and it was with a great deal of satisfaction that 
they found the disk firmly attached to the man- 
drel, as the fluxed copper had caused it to flow 
between the united or joined edges of the metal 
pieces, and on cooling they became as solid and 
firm as though made of one piece. 

‘‘What an immense amount of hair that animal 
had !” said George, as he returned from one of his 
hair scraping jobs. 

“The hair of the yak is very thick on the animal 
and it is also fine and silky — much finer than the 
hair of the common cow.” 

“Why did you have the long hair which grew 
under the body of the yak cut off before we put 
the hide in the lime 

“For the reason that in making felt those hairs 
would be too long.” 

“I thought the longer the hairs the better the 
cloth would be.” 

“So it would if the cloth was woven; but you 
will remember I said that we would make the felt 
without weaving it. By the way, I see that the 
soles of your shoes are almost worn out. Let me 
suggest a protection for your feet. Wash some 
of the hair to get it free from lime and distribute 
a coating of the hair in the bottom of the shoe, 
and then cover the layer with a piece of cloth. 
Wear the shoes in that way for a few days and 
then take out the hair.” 

There was no inclination on the part of George 


HAENESSING THE CATAEACT 181 


to question the motive of the Professor’s sudden 
interest in his shoes. He tried the experiment, 
then forgot the incident. 

It had long been the desire of the boys to try 
their luck at fishing. They had every reason to 
believe that their river had plenty of fish, but 
without fishhooks and lines they would stand a 
poor chance of succeeding. Now that they had 
an abundance of strong cord and were making a 
good quality of steel, Harry undertook, in a quiet 
way, and unknown to the Professor, to construct 
several hooks in which he succeeded so admirably 
that the thought came to him to try to make some 
coarse needles. 

This was one of the most difficult mechanical 
feats he had, thus far undertaken, for the reason 
that there is nothing so trying, even to a good arti- 
san, as to anneal and temper the small, wire-like 
pieces of metal which are necessary in the making 
of needles. He had no difficulty in annealing the 
wire, which was laboriously forged out. He then 
made a small hole for the eye, but the trouble was 
to temper it so as to bring it to its original state 
of hardness. 

Although Harry did not know it, the difficulty 
was, that when he heated up the wire, in trying 
to temper it, the body would be hard, and the point 
soft. At last he was compelled to go to the Pro- 
fessor with a sample. 

“I see you have a good needle, and I commend 
you for the ingenuity and patience you have 
shown, but the point is too soft.” 


182 


THE CASTAWAYS 


‘‘That is just the trouble. I have tried a good 
many and with the same results.” 

“Did you sharpen it and then anneal and tem- 
per it afterwards?” 

“Yes.” 

“That is where you made your mistake. You 
should have tempered it before you pointed it. 
If you will remember, when you had the saw teeth 
cut, you tempered it before you ground down the 
teeth to a cutting edge.” 

“What difference does it make, by doing it be- 
fore or afterwards?” 

“When it is pointed before you temper, the 
small point cools down by its own absorption of 
cool air, or by a gradual process; but the other 
part of the needle is suddenly chilled, which is the 
necessary thing to do, so that while the body of 
the needle is tempered, the point is not.” 

With this lesson you may be sure Harry had 
no further trouble. 

But Harry had something else to learn when he 
tried to make the fishhook. That had to be tem- 
pered, too, or it would bend out straight when a 
good-sized fish was caught, and he finally dis- 
covered that he had to bend the hook, then tem- 
per it and afterwards make the point by grinding 
it down. 

The boys were very eager to try their hand 
at fishing, so they proposed a fishing jaunt for 
the day, to celebrate their new accomplishment. 

“Pll get the bait,” said George, as he hunted 
up a digging tool. 

They selected a cove in the river above the 


HARNESSING THE CATARACT 183 


cataract, and with three fishing equipments were 
very happy in the prospects of the day’s sport. 

In an incredible short space of time the Pro- 
fessor landed the first fish, a beautiful specimen, 
about ten inches long. 

^‘A perch,” said George, in delight. “What a 
beauty it is!” 

After that the boys began to haul in one after 
the other, and they had a good variety, too, some 
bass, and also whitefish. It was a problem to 
know just which fish would be the most acceptable 
for the first meal. The boys settled the matter by 
selecting the Professor’s first catch, but you may 
be sure that one fish was not enough for that meal. 

The following day the Professor inquired of 
George as to the condition of the hair soles which 
he had been advised to wear. 

“I had forgotten about it,” was the answer. 
George took off his shoes and removed the felt 
soles. They were matted together so as to form 
two pads that looked like cloth. The boys were 
astonished at this. 

“Why, it doesn’t seem to come apart, at all. It 
is just like a piece of cloth.” 

“You have been making several pieces of felt 
goods,” said the Professor. “I think we ought to 
make some felt products with the hair we have, 
and our next step should be to provide a consider- 
able quantity of hair for making up a lot of the 
goods.” 

“But it will be a pretty hard thing to make our 
felt goods by walking it into shape.” 


184 


THE CASTAWAYS 


^‘Then we shall have to make something that 
is better than the feet for this purpose.” 

“We are ready to do it.” 

“Get several pieces of our ramie cloth, each, 
say, three feet square, for our first experiment. 
Lay one of them down on a level place. Now, 
George, bring the hair, and distribute it carefully 
and evenly over the cloth.” 

This was soon done to the satisfaction of the 
Professor. 

“The next step now is to moisten the other 
cloth, and carefully spread it over the hair-cov- 
ered cloth. There, that will answer. Now, fasten 
the edges of the two cloths together so that the 
hair cannot possibly come out. I think that will 
do. Get some small thin sticks and beat the moist- 
ened cloth top, moving the sticks around at all 
angles on the cloth.” 

The cloth was thus beaten for a considerable 
time, and occasionally a small quantity of water 
was sprinkled on. "V^en it had thus been beaten 
the edges of the two cloths were separated, and 
behold, they took out a piece of felt three feet 
square, which, while it was very loose in its tex- 
ture, was nevertheless of sufficient strength to 
hold together. 

“It doesn’t look to me as though this will be of 
much use to us. It isn’t nearly so firm as George’s 
shoe pads.” 

“Well, we haven’t done all to it that George 
did with his samples.” 

“And what was that V ’ 

“Why, George fulled his felt.” 


HAENESSING THE CATAEACT 185 


“And what is fulling 

“It is the term used to designate the process 
which George was engaged in when he was tramp- 
ing the hair for several days.” 

“So we haven’t yet finished making the feltf’ 

“No, in practice there are several steps neces- 
sary, but for our purposes®we can get along pretty 
well simply by fulling our goods.” 

“What is the best way to do thisf’ 

“First prepare a lot of soapy water, using a 
vessel long enough to put the felt in. The felt 
is put between the ramie cloths that we beat 
it in. Now, roll it up, rather loosely, and put it 
in the suds.” 

Sets of strings were then tied around the roll 
thus made and after soaking a while, the roll was 
taken out and beaten, all around the roll, and 
also on the ends of the roll, and then put back 
into the suds. This was repeated at least a dozen 
times, when the Professor announced that the 
operation was finished. 

“What has become of iil It isn’t half as large 
as it was, and it is not nearly as thick as it was, 
either.” 

“But isn’t it stronger and the fibers closer to- 
gether? You see the felt cloth does not have a 
tendency to fall apart. The individual hairs are 
now fully incorporated and entangled with each 
other, and will remain so.” 

One evening, while engaged in their usual con- 
versations, the boys wanted to know if they could 
not determine in what portion of the globe they 
were. They knew they were in the Pacific Ocean, 


186 


THE CASTAWAYS 


west of South America, and south of the equator. 
The only thing that gave any indication as to 
possible latitude was the weather. To the Pro- 
fessor, of course, the position of the sun was the 
best criterion. 

It was about the 20th of March, which, for the 
southern hemisphere, is the same as September 
20, north of the equator, considered from a 
weather standpoint. There had been no cold days, 
and judging from the weather, they concluded 
that they were nearer the equator than 41 de- 
grees south latitude. New York is about 41 de- 
grees north latitude. 

^‘We can figure out our latitude with very lit- 
tle trouble, with a few simple instruments,” said 
the Professor, ^‘because we have a definite line 
to calculate from. But it is not so with the longi- 
tude. Longitudinal lines are calculated from an 
arbitrary point selected for the purpose, like 
Greenwich, England.” 

‘‘What is the positive line we have to calculate 
latitude from?” 

“The equator.” 

“Why are all measurements made by degrees ?” 

“A degree is not a measure. It is merely a 
term used to designate an angle, an interval, a 
position, or a point.” 

“Then when the expression 45 degrees south is 
used it does not mean that it is so many miles from 
the equator?” 

“Not by any means. It simply refers to an 
angle which extends from the center of the earth, 


HAENESSING THE CATAEACT 187 


or, for instance, from the center of a disk. Do 
yon understand why this is soT’ 

^^Not exactly.” 



^^Suppose we have two disks, one of them two 
feet, and the other one foot in diameter. Now 
let us draw a horizontal line (A) and also a verti- 
cal line (B) through the middle of each disk, 
which we will call the equator and the poles, re- 
spectively. You know, of course, that each cir- 
cle, great or small, is divided into 360 degrees, so 
that south of the equator we have 180 degrees, or 
90 degrees on each side of the line of the poles. 
Halfway between the vertical or pole line and 
the equator, would be 45 degrees on both disks; 
but you will find that the distance from the equator 
to the 45 degree line at the margin of the large 
disk is twice as long as the same line on the 
small disk.” 


188 


THE CASTAWAYS 


“I see it now. But is the globe divided up into 
the same number of degrees east and westf^ 

‘‘Precisely the same, so that from Greenwich 
there are 180 degrees east and 180 degrees 
west. The line halfway around from Green- 
wich passes through Behring Sea, to the west 
of Alaska, and down along the east coast to New 
Zealand.” 

“Then how can the position of a ship he found 
east and west of Greenwich?” 

“It is a question of time. Suppose I set my 
watch at Greenwich, and it keeps accurate time, 
I will then have with me, wherever I go, Green- 
wich time.” 

“And that will then tell how many miles you are 
east or west of Greenwich?” 

“No; it will tell the degrees, because the de- 
grees of longitude are not the same length at 
the equator as they are nearer the poles. At the 
equator the length made by one degree of angle 
is about 69 miles. At 44 degrees it is only three- 
fourths of that, and at 60 degrees it is only half 
the distance that it is at the equator. So, you 
see, degree does not mean measurement.” 

“If that is the case how will the time tell us 
how far we are in miles?” 

“Every fifteen degrees east or west of Green- 
wich means an hour earlier or later. Suppose my 
Greenwich time indicates three o’clock. If, at the 
same time, the local watch is at seven o’clock, we 
are four hours away from Greenwich; and four 
times 15 would be 60 degrees. At the equator, by 
that reckoning, we would he 69 x 60 miles from 


HARNESSING THE CATARACT 189 


the longitudinal line at Greenwich, which would be 
4,140 miles.” 

‘^What is meant by the words latitude’ and 
longitude’ f ” 

^^The earth is about 26 miles greater in diame- 
ter through the equator than through the poles, 
hence the word long,’ or longitude, is used to 
designate the length east and west, and latitude 
the breadth, or north and south. For the purpose 
of explaining and calculating latitude we have no 
time for it to-night in the absence of a few instru- 
ments which we must have for the purpose.” 


CHAPTER XIII 


MAKING EXPLOSIVES 

“I HAVE all along had a curiosity to know why 
you have been making a sort of refuse heap of 
the pieces of meat and the stable manure, and 
what interested me most was to see you take some 
of the lime water out the other day and carefully 
pour over the mass,” said George, one day as the 
Professor was returning from one of his trips. 

suppose I shall have to satisfy your curiosity. 
You are wonderfully alive in watching things. 
Well, I am trying to make saltpeter.” 

‘^Saltpeter, out of all that mass of stutf ? Why, 
at home we used saltpeter with the salt in curing 
meat.” 

^Yes, and it is also used for medicine, and it 
doesn’t taste badly, either.” 

never knew it was used as medicine, too.” 

‘Tt is niter ; you probably know how that tastes, 
and it is like saltpeter.” 

‘‘Well, I don’t think I shall care to taste the 
stutf again, now that I know how it is made.” 

“While the elements from which it is made do 
not seem to he very palatable, still, the resultant 
product is absolutely pure.” 

“But what are we going to use saltpeter for!” 

“I thought you said the other day that we ought 
to have some guns, and a gun is of no use unless 
we have gunpowder.” 


190 


MAKING EXPLOSIVES 191 

‘^So saltpeter is used in making the powder? 
And what else is necessary?” 

“Sulphur and charcoal.” 

“I know we have plenty of charcoal, and I un- 
derstood you to say that there was sulphur in the 
copper ore which we brought from the hills. 

“But I do not understand why uniting those 
three things should cause an explosion.” 

“The powder, or, in reality, any explosive, is 
merely a fuel, and what a fuel needs is a sufficient 
amount of oxygen to support combustion, and 
enough heat applied to set it burning. When the 
powder is made it is finely ground up and all the 
elements intimately mixed up together, so that 
heat applied to it rapidly evolves a gas, while it 
explodes, and the expansion of the gas is suffi- 
cient to drive out a bullet or to tear rocks to 
pieces.” 

“But when a boiler explodes it isn’t the fuel in 
the water or steam that burns.” 

“That is a good observation. You have deftly 
caught me up on my definition of an explosion. 
The heat is really the initial cause of the explosion, 
but not the immediate cause. When water is 
turned into steam it expands 1,700 times, and as 
the heat of the furnace increases the amount of 
steam beyond the capacity of the boiler the explo- 
sion follows.” 

Harry had now progressed far enough with his 
lathe so that he was ready to put it together, and 
the Professor suggested that he should grind out 
a few notches in the rim of the disk which he 
had brazed on the mandrel. 


192 


THE CASTAWAYS 


“Wiy do we need the notches f’ 

^^As yon have so far not yet naade a drill, and 
you would find it difficult to use one even if you 
had it to drill steel, the notches will be necessary 
to enable you to hold an article securely to the 
disk, so that it will not turn independently of the 
disk.” 

‘T quite understand the reason now.” 

It required the work of several days before the 
crude lathe was finally set up, and the small pul- 
ley on the mandrel connected up by a belt with 
the pulley on the water-wheel shaft. 

While Harry was busily engaged on his lathe 
the Professor and George took up the work of 
making a wagon, and while so engaged George 
broke out with this observation : 

<<Why can’t we use our yaks as horses I” 

‘^That is just what they are exclusively used for 
in Thibet. The herd we have would be just suited 
if we can train them to the yoke.” 

‘Well, I have seen oxen trained many times, and 
I would like to try them, anyway.” 

“As we must have our wagon at all events, let 
us continue the work and devote an hour or so 
each day to the task of training our stock to the 
yoke.” 

“And, as usual, before we do anything, we must 
do something else, as Harry said, to carry out the 
main object. I mean we must make a pair of 
yokes.” 

“Why not one yoke? It might be well to try 
one at a time. You see what habit or custom 
does. You have never seen an oxen driven singly. 


MAKING EXPLOSIVES 


193 


so you have the idea that two are absolutely neces- 
sary. It is the custom in many of the eastern 
countries to drive the oxen singly.” 

suppose the reason that Americans always 
drive a pair of oxen, and never use them singly, 
is, that we always want to do the thing by whole- 
sale.” 

“There is a good deal of truth in that, but there 
is no doubt the far easterners use only a single 
animal because forced to do so on account of 
economy.” 

Their first experiment was with their original 
captive, which was indeed a very tractive animal, 
hut the boys had a lot of fun with the half-grown 
bullocks, which readily yielded to their training, 
and they soon had a pair broken which from that 
time forward was in almost daily use, carrying 
out the extensive work in which they were en- 
gaged. 

The weather up to this time had been very pleas- 
ant, with only occasional rains. Nevertheless, it 
was thought advisable to make preparations for 
what might be termed winter months, not that it 
was liable to grow cold, but to carry them through 
the season when they could not depend on grow- 
ing crops. 

The Professor observed one day: “It is not 
at all likely that we shall have freezing weather, 
but there may be a season, such as is known on 
the southern Pacific coast of the United States, 
where vegetation does not grow at all, spontane- 
ously, during the dry season, and that may be 
the case here.” 


194 


THE CASTAWAYS 


“What time of the year does the wet season 
come?’^ i 

“In California the wet season begins about No- 
vember 15, and ends in April. In Arizona and 
New Mexico, the wet season begins in July.” 

Their wagon would be interesting to describe. 
They were not yet able to forge metal axles, so 
the entire vehicle was made of wood. The wheels 
comprised four thicknesses of boards, nailed to- 
gether, with the boards overlapping each other 
crosswise; and through the center of each they 
had to chisel a hole for the axle. The tread of 
the wheel was cut around by the power saw. Each 
axle was of oak, and four inches square; one of 
the axles being fitted to turn on what is called 
a king bolt, and to this axle the tongue was fixed. 
The wheels were two feet in diameter, and were 
placed four feet apart on the axles. It was ex- 
ceedingly clumsy in appearance, but it was very 
strong, and it would hold more than they could 
possibly load on the bed, which was seven feet 
long. 

Now, let us see what they brought to their Cata- 
ract home. First, they gathered a quantity of the 
ramie, their earliest friend; then they did not 
neglect the wild flax, of which they made quite a 
stack. They dug up a large quantity of the wild 
potato, which they found growing at various 
places, and which had now matured, as well as the 
cassava, the latter of which had formed a part of 
their daily diet. 

“Don’t you think. Professor, it would be a good 


MAKING EXPLOSIVES 195 

thing to lay in a stock of medicines, among other 
things?’’ said George. 

^^Eeally, I don’t know that we have any use for 
medicines,” said the Professor. ‘Gt would not be 
a bad idea to gather chemicals, as we could use 
them advantageously.” 

Day after day they discovered new things, to 
the delight of George. One day he rushed up to 
the Professor with a half dozen quinces, which 
were then ripe and golden. 

^^Do you know the legend connected with that 
fruit?” said the Professor. 

“No, what is it?” 

“In mythology the name of the famous sisters 
was Hesperides, who assisted by the dragon 
Ladon, guarded the golden apples which Hera had 
received on her marriage with Zeus, the God. 
With the assistance of Atlas, another deity, the 
apples were stolen by Hercules, who killed the 
dragon. This took place, the legend says, in west- 
ern Asia, and the apples were quinces which grew 
there.” 

“But look at this beautiful flower. I have often 
seen it before.” 

“Yes, that is a northern flower, although it orig- 
inated in Persia and Syria. It is the hyacinth.” 

“That’s it; I couldn’t remember, but it seems 
to me that the ones I saw were blue, and this is 
nearly white.” 

“Hyacinths vary greatly in color, hut the prin- 
cipal colors are white, purple and blue. In Hol- 
land, where they are extensively cultivated, more 
than two thousand distinct varieties have been 


196 


THE CASTAWAYS 


named. I have just picked up, and we may take 
with us some of this plant.” 

‘^What do we want with the common hy- 
drangea specimen!” 

“As you seem to think we should lay in a supply 
of medicine this is a fine thing to commence with. 
The root is a good tonic for the liver, and is known 
as sevenbark. It is grown extensively in Japan, 
and the leaves make what is called the Ama-tsja, 
or the Tea of heaven.’ ” 

“I suppose,” said George laughing, “that we 
might take some of the geraniums with us, too!” 

“Why not! The Turks use geranium oil for 
the purpose of adulterating the famous attar of 
roses, and the leaves and flowers are medicinally 
used as astringents. So many of our well-known 
and despised plants contain medicinal properties 
which are sold under strange names, the Mignon- 
ette, which makes a beautiful yellow dye, is sold 
under the name of reseda, or dyer’s wood; the 
bark of the black alder (not the elder) produces 
a purgative medicine, and is also used for the 
treatment of skin diseases, is sold as Eamnus 
Catharticus ; rhubarb, also used as a medicine, is 
sold as Eheum; black currants, the tea of which 
makes a most cooling drink for fever patients, the 
plant of which is found in almost every garden in 
the States, is neglected for this purpose, because 
as a medicine, under the name of Eibes Nigrum, 
it is more effective to the patient. AVhy, even the 
root of the red raspberry, used as an astringent, 
sounds better as a medicine under the name of 
Eubus.” 


MAKING EXPLOSIVES 197 

“Well, isn^t the elder the same as the alder 
you just spoke about?” 

“No ; it is an entirely different plant. The elder 
is the Samhucus Nigra of the drug store. Both the 
flowers and the roots are used to make a soothing 
and a healing ointment and also for purgative pur- 
poses, and the wine from the berries is the chief 
adulterant for cheap port wines. In this particu- 
lar I am inclined to think that adulterating it in 
that way is a good thing.” 

“From what you have said about all the plants 
and flowers, I do not think I shall again despise 
any of the familiar plants. They all seem to 
be our friends.” 

“Isn’t that so with almost everything if we know 
how to treat them? There is good in all things 
if we only knew how to use them.” 

The quinces were a welcome addition ; they gath- 
ered nuts of various kinds, but what delighted 
George most was the supply of Brazil nuts that 
they found on all sides, and in many places the 
ground beneath the trees was covered. 

“I think Harry would enjoy the trip for the 
nuts,” said the Professor, “so you had better make 
the trip to-morrow, as I have some particular 
work to attend to.” 

The next day the boys started early for the nut- 
ting expedition, and made their way toward the 
forest, following, so far as the hills would permit 
them to do so, the route which they had taken 
on their first trip to the forest. Before reaching 
the forest, however, they found so many nuts, 
some varieties of which were entirely new to them, 


198 


THE CASTAWAYS 


tliat before noon they had collected nearly a load 
and stored them in the wagon. 

‘Tt would delight the Professor if we brought 
home some odd specimens of the rock and ores 
which we saw coming up,” said Harry. 

‘‘So it would,” said George ; suppose we put in 
the afternoon on specimens of that kindf’ 

The animals were tethered, so they could feed 
and the boys began their investigations in the hills. 
They generally managed to keep together, but 
sometimes, as interesting specimens would lure 
them on, they would become temporarily sepa- 
rated. 

On one of these occasions Harry turned around 
to call George’s attention to some particular sam- 
ple, but he was not to be seen. He again called^ 
but received no answer, and then made the peculiar 
sound or call so common to boys, which is usually 
a high-pitched “E-oh,” over and over again. 
Thoroughly frightened, he now ran back and 
forth, going first to the wagon and back again, 
but there was not the slightest trace of him. The 
soil was too hard to make any indentations, which 
would afford a trace. He returned to the spot 
where they had separated. 

From that point he radiated out in all direc- 
tions, but it seemed that the earth had swallowed 
up his companion. The search was kept up for at 
least a half hour. They were fully three miles 
from the Cataract house, and Harry’s first impulse 
was to drive the team down and get the Professor. 
Then he recollected that they traveled too slow 



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great excitement ” [see page 200] 



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MAKING EXPLOSIVES 199 

for the purpose, and without waiting he started on 
a run for home. 

When he reached there he was surprised to find 
the Professor absent. He called over and over 
again without eliciting any response. He found 
the doors all carefully closed, and every evidence 
that the Professor’s absence was premeditated. 
Where had he gone, and what was his reason for 
wanting the boys to go alone that day! 

There was no time for him to make any fur- 
ther search, so he took up his weary march back 
to the team, in the hope that George might have 
returned in the meantime. He now regretted that 
he had not left some note or other information at 
the wagon so that George would not be alarmed 
in case of his return. 

He had gone fully a mile toward the location of 
the wagon, when he was suddenly startled on 
hearing a terrific explosion. The shock was so 
great that he was unable to move another step. 
Not five hundred feet away, to his left he saw 
a cloud of dust and smoke. He debated with him- 
self whether to go forward and investigate or to 
flee, but courage prevailed, and he made his way 
toward the smoke as cautiously as possible. 

There, going leisurely up to the scene of the 
explosion, was the Professor who, after Harry 
had recovered his senses, did not heed the voice 
of Harry, and failed to notice his presence until 
Harry was close to his heels. It was the turn of 
the Professor to be startled, as he saw Harry, hat- 
less, covered with perspiration, and almost speech- 
less with the excitement. 


200 


THE CASTAWAYS 


‘^George is lost ; he wandered away somewhere, 
when we were separated, and I have tried to find 
him, but all my searching was useless.” 

“When did that happen, and where?” 

“Up toward the forest, over two hours ago.” 

“And where have you been all this time ?” 

“Hunting him, and then I went home to get 
you.” 

“Do you know the way? Don’t let us waste a 
moment. Lead the way quickly.” 

In a half hour they reached the scene of their 
adventure and Harry pointed out that the wagon 
was located close to the large tree on the hill 
beyond. 

Within ten minutes they reached the spot, only 
to discover that the wagon and team had disap- 
peared. Here was another calamity. You may 
be sure that the discovery was not a pleasant 
sensation. The wagon, though heavily laden, did 
not make much of a track in the hard ground, but 
there was sufficient evidence to follow it by care- 
fully noting the crushed vegetation. It was a 
gratification to know that the vehicle went in the 
direction of their home. 

“George is safe ; I am sure of that.” 

“Why do you think so?” 

“Because he has been eating nuts ; see the shells 
scattered along here and there?” 

Following the course of the wagon they would 
occasionally lose the trail, but they were satisfied 
that George was on his way home. 

Before reaching home they saw George coming 
toward them in great excitement, and a little be- 


MAKING EXPLOSIVES 


201 


yond was the wreck of the wagon, with nuts, ore 
and other accumulations scattered along the 
ground. 

‘^What does all this mean?” said the Professor. 

“I don’t know; a little over an hour ago there 
was an explosion which so frightened the yaks 
that they ran away, and you see what they have 
done to the wagon.” 

‘^But where have you been? I hunted for you 
everywhere, and then went after the Professor. 
We have been up there after you.” 

“What is all this you have on your clothing?” 
said the Professor, as he examined the back and 
sides of George, whose clothing was covered with 
a slime of brown-colored material. 

“Got it where I fell. I had the breath knocked 
out of me when I went down in the hole.” 

“A hole?” 

“Yes ; a hole about 15 feet deep, on the side of 
the hill, not 500 feet from the wagon. When 
I got out I staggered around for a while, and when 
I reached the wagon Harry wasn’t there, and as 
I then knew I must have l3een down there quite 
a while, when I couldn’t find Harry, I made up 
my mind the best thing to do was to go home. 
When we reached that point over the hill, I heard 
an awful explosion, and you see the result.” 


CHAPTER XIV 


THE DISAPPEAEANCE OF THE BOAT 

The Professor and Harry laughed at the situ- 
ation, but George was still troubled at the explo- 
sion, and the Professor soon enlightened him to 
his great relief. 

When they reached home the yaks were there, 
still yoked together ; before nightfall they had re- 
paired the wagon and hauled in the store of nuts, 
and some of the ore, which could be gathered up. 

“George, tell me how that hole was formed? 
Did it appear to be dug out of the side of the 
hill, or was it simply a hole that went straight 
down into the ground?” 

“Well, I didn’t have much trouble in getting 
out of it. A thick growth of bushes was all around 
the hole, and when I pushed my way through I 
went down before I knew what was happening. 
The first thing I remembered was a feeling of 
dizziness, and then I recalled the bush. I think 
the hole went in from the side of the hill.” 

“Did you see any rocks in the hole?” 

“Yes; there were rocks on the sides, but I did 
not see any in the bottom part. The stuff you 
see on me was at the bottom and on one of the 
sides of it.” 

“What do you think it is. Professor?” 

“Asphaltum.” 

“What does it come from?” 

202 


DISAPPEARANCE OF THE BOAT 203 


^Tetroleum, after the volatile matter has evap- 
orated from it. You are really a discoverer, 
George, and it is a lucky find.” 

^Well, I seem to be having a pretty tough time 
discovering things. I suppose that is the lot of 
the investigator?” 

^^Some of the greatest discoveries have come 
about by accident. The accidental breaking of a 
wire was the means of discovering that light con- 
tact points in a telephone circuit would amplify 
sounds, so that the transmitter was made possible ; 
the experiment that I asked George to make with 
the hair in his shoes, was the accidental discovery 
of St. Gregory, a monk, who used hair in the bot- 
tom of his sandals to protect his feet ; a chicken’s 
feet, covered with clay, tramping over a bed of 
brown sugar, showed a way in which sugar could 
be bleached, or whitened. Hundreds of such in- 
stances might be cited.” 

It did not need any inquiry on the part of the 
boys to tell them what the Professor had been 
doing in the hills that day. He had made a sam- 
ple of powder, and while the boys were nutting 
he was at the coal bank trying to loosen up coal 
for their use and, also, incidentally, trying out the 
powder. That it succeeded, all had sufficient evi- 
dence. 

Over and over again the Professor questioned 
George about the hole. From his tone and the 
interest he manifested in it there was something, 
evidently, which he did not care to mention. 

The next morning Harry abruptly said: ^We 


204 THE CASTAWAYS 

have forgotten all about our boat ; we ought to go 
for it at once.” 

Such was the fact. They had been so busy 
every moment of the time that if either thought 
of it no sign was made. True, they had no occa- 
sion to use it, but as soon as Harry spoke all 
agreed to the wisdom of securing it. 

“I think both of you had better go for it at once. 
It has cost us too much labor to lose.” 

Preparations were soon made, and the Professor 
gave full instructions as to the course to pursue. 

‘Tf you follow my advice you cannot miss the 
river. From my observations, the South River 
flows due west, or nearly so, to the falls, where 
you will find the boat. Look at the sun. It is 
now nearly nine o^clock, and note the shadow, 
which, as you see, falls to the southwest. It is 
about ten miles to the river, and, probably, fifteen 
miles to the falls. Now, mark your course so that 
it is at a certain angle to the shadow. In an hour, 
as the sun then throws a shadow farther south, 
alter your course, with relation to the shadow, 
and so on each hour, which will bring you to the 
river between twelve and one o’clock. At the river 
you can readily trace it up to the falls. 

Two sprightly boys, on a clear, bracing day, can 
easily make three miles an hour, unless the ground 
is too rough or uneven, and the river was reached 
about noon. Before two o’clock the falls were 
sighted. The sail down the river would give them 
a rest after the long tramp, so with shouts of 
laughter, they gaily ran along the bank to the 
boat’s landing place. 


DISAPPEABANCE OF THE BOAT 205 

The boat was not there! 

Visions of the fire, the missing pole and flag, 
and the black hole came np before them. Both 
thought, but neither uttered their fears. There 
was not the slightest trace of the boat. The beach 
or bank did not indicate that the boat had been 
dragged off, and question after question was asked 
and the probabilities canvassed. 

‘T suppose the only thing we can do is to go 
home, which can be reached before six this even- 
ing, if we hurry.” They turned to go and had but 
proceeded a hundred feet when George stopped. 
^‘Do you remember where the oars were when we 
left the boat?” 

^‘Oh, I had forgotten ; the Professor told me to 
place them up against the bank, and I pushed them 
in among the roots of the tree where the stream 
had washed the dirt away.” 

With one mind, they returned; but even the 
oars had disappeared. This was too much for 
them, and there was no further waiting for dis- 
cussions. Tired as they were, they turned for 
home, which was reached as the sun was going 
down. 

‘'Do you think our boat was taken by the 
natives ?” inquired Harry. 

“Before answering that question I should like 
to know how the boat was secured,” replied the 
Professor. 

“It was drawn up on the beach, as you directed, 
and tied to a tree which hung over the river.” 

“How high up on the bank were the oars 
placed?” 


206 


THE CASTAWAYS 


“About five feet above the boat, under the over- 
hanging bank, among the roots of the tree, as you 
said that would be a good place.” 

“Did you notice whether there were any marks 
where the rope was tied to the tree?” 

“No.” 

“Did you carefully examine the river on both 
sides coming back?” 

“No.” 

“I have a theory, but it is only a theory now.” 

“And what is that?” 

“We have had considerable rain lately, and the 
South Eiver, being fed by mountain streams, may 
have been up pretty well, so that our boat and 
oars were carried away.” 

“That seems probable, but it is singular that 
both the oars and the boat are gone, because I 
fixed them securely, as I thought, in the roots of 
the tree. The boat may have been discovered 
and used by some one on the island.” 

“But if so they would have to use it below the 
falls.” 

“Yes ; unless they carried it around the falls and 
are now using it on the river above the falls.” 

Notwithstanding the several mysterious things 
which had occurred during the past month, the 
Professor, while he showed interest in discussing 
the situations and the problems which grew out 
of them, was not at all perturbed. He showed 
merely the spirit of the true investigator. 

During one of their regular evening discussions, 
he said : “No doubt you have been very much dis- 
turbed at the interesting events which have come 


DISAPPEARANCE OF THE BOAT 207 

into our lives lately. These things, though they 
may be startling episodes, are not unusual events 
in every walk of life. The investigator in every 
branch of human activity discovers something 
only to find out a mystery beyond that which he 
has unraveled. The more he knows the greater 
are the mysteries. Patient investigation solves 
some of them ; accidents reveal the hidden secrets 
of others. If man must know things, he must also 
learn to look philosophically at those things which 
are, apparently, beyond his grasp.” 

“For my part,” answered George, “these mys- 
terious occurrences only make me more eager to 
continue our work. What I am anxious to know 
is, what line of work we should follow to make us 
more secure, now that we are pretty sure there are 
others on the island?” 

“We should, if possible, spend our energies, as 
Harry has suggested, to the making of -weapons, 
although I hope it is not done for the purpose of 
being able to become the aggressors.” 

“For my part, I should like to make some guns.” 

“Harry^s idea is all right. Guns are necessary. 
It is also prudent to add to our stock of provisions, 
especially as the wet season is coming on, and we 
do not yet know how cold it will be. These two 
things are most essential for our welfare. I 
would also suggest that hereafter, in making any 
excursions in the interior, at least two should be 
in the party, so as to be of mutual assistance.” 

Harry’s lathe, on which he had devoted all his 
energies, was finally completed, except the tool- 
holder, which, under the advice of the Professor, 


208 


THE CASTAWAYS 


was made of a block of bard wood, with a T-shaped 
attachment, the vertical limb of the T being made 
to fit snugly between the two parallel bars of the 
frame. To this T-shaped leg they attached a 
heavy stone, so that the tool block, or holder, thus 
made could be moved along, and carry the stone 
with it. 

They then provided a means for moving it along 
on the bed, by attaching a rope to each side and 
wrapping it around a rod which had a crank on 
it, and by that means the tool could be moved 
along and held firmly against the metal to be 
turned. 

It must be said that the tool was not an accurate 
one, nor could they turn the hard steel metal witli 
it, but it was available for and could take off the 
rough cuts on the metal, and by attaching a grind- 
stone to the tool-holder, they soon found a means 
whereby it would turn down the annealed steel 
bars. With this crude beginning the first work 
was to turn up a half dozen round bars of steel. 
Each was three-quarters of an inch in diameter, 
and from eight to ten inches long, which they fin- 
ished off with the grindstone. 

The next step was to make some drilling bits, 
which was not a difficult task. One bit was made 
which would bore a hole three-quarters of an inch 
in diameter and another bit for a half-inch hole. 

Fortunately, the mandrel had not been tem- 
pered, after the brazing process, so Harry was in- 
structed to drill a hole in the end of the shaft. 
This was done by holding the three-quarter bit 
rigidly in the tail stock of the lathe. 


DISAPPEARANCE OF THE BOAT 209 


The hole in the end of the shaft was then nsed 
to hold the half-inch bit and they were ready to 
bore out the half dozen round bars or barrels. 
This work occupied days of time. Harry mean- 
while made smaller drills for use on other work. 

George was always inquisitive and suggesting 
or questioning, and one day explained to Harry 
that if they had some means of accurately finding 
out the time it would be very much use to them. 
Of course, the Professor was brought into the 
consultation. 

“Do you know, boys, how we can get the exact 
interval of time? That is, how would you go 
about the business of finding out just how long 
one minute is ?” 

“I know ; there are twenty-four hours in a day, 
and it would be an easy matter to divide each hour 
into sixty minutes.” 

“That is a good suggestion, but in the meantime 
we should have some mechanical means to indicate 
the time that is passing, and if that goes too slow 
or too fast we can regulate it.” 

“Yes; we might use an hour-glass, as I have 
read, or we might make a clock.” 

“A clock would be much better, so if Harry will 
make a small wheel, say two inches in diameter, 
and cut thirty teeth in it, we can make a start.” 

“Then we must also have a pendulum, and while 
Harry is making the wheel I’ll make that. How 
long must it be?” 

“At Greenwich, England, which is about lati- 
tude 511/2 degrees north, if a pendulum is thirty- 


210 


THE CASTAWAYS 


nine and one-eighth of an inch long, it will vibrate 
once each second.” 

“What has the latitude to do with the length 
of the pendulum?” 

“The beat of the pendulum depends upon the 
pull of gravity, and as a body weighs more at the 
poles than at the equator, the length of the boat 
will not be the same at different points from the 
equator.” 

“Are we as far south of the equator as Green- 
wich is north of it?” 

“No; I think we are probably a thousand miles 
nearer the equator.” 

“Then must I make the pendulum longer?” 

“No ; shorter, so it will beat quicker.” 

It was agreed to devote at least a day each 
week to making trips into the island, so as to give 
variety to their lives, also to learn as much as 
possible about the country. Now that they had a 
reliable team of oxen, journeys could be made with 
comparative ease. The wagon had been greatly 
improved, by making lighter wheels, without in the 
least sacrificing strength, by using a greater quan- 
tity of metal. 

Not much anxiety was exhibited to penetrate far 
into the interior because they had not yet any- 
thing more effective than bows and arrows as 
weapons of defense. 

Harry succeeded, however, in finally drilling 
out the six barrels of steel, and with the small 
drill bored a hole at what is called the breech, or 
rear end of each barrel, and the drawing shows 
how simply they formed the barrel and the little 


DISAPPEAEANCE OF THE BOAT 211 

tube on which they intended to put the cap for 
firing. 

‘‘We are now ready for the caps, Professor,” 
said Harry one day. 

“Have you all the stocks completed!” 

“Yes; George has whittled out the wooden 
pieces, but I am a little troubled to know just how 
we can make a hammer on that long wooden 
stock?” 



“I see you have bored out the stock (A) so the 
barrel (B) will fit in, and that the hole (C) back 
of the barrel is a little smaller. How did you 
succeed in forging out and tempering a wire for 
the spring (D), as I showed in the drawing?” 

“Here it is. It may be a little stiff.” 

“If it is, we can shorten it and then make the 
hammer plug (E) a little longer.” 

“What I want to know is, how to draw back the 
plug or hammer so the hook of the trigger will 
catch it?” 

“For the present that is what the hook (G) is 
for.” 

“Oh, I see it now.” 

“I am pleased to see the workmanlike manner 
in which you have accomplished all this. You are 


212 


THE CASTAWAYS 


to be commended for this reason: Any mechanic 
can turn out a product with tools ; the genius lies 
in being able to make things without proper tools.*^ 

“Oh, yes, we must have some percussion caps. 
George, how do you think we can make them?” 

“From what I understand in the making of 
matches we could use sulphur and phosphorus to 
put in the cap.” 

“Yes, and in this case we should mix some very 
fine sharp sand with it.” 

“What is that for?” 


jl C J) 



“So when the hammer strikes the cap it will 
crush the sand, or rather cause the sand to force 
its way through the compound, and in that way, by 
friction, make enough heat to cause an explosion.” 

George made a number of caps out of the native 
copper, which, of course, was very soft, and to do 
this the copper was beaten into thin sheets, and 
then the Professor instructed them how to make 
the caps. A piece of steel was used in which they 
drilled five holes. Figure 24 shows the Profes- 
sor’s drawings. 

The first hole (A) was made with a three-quar- 
ter bit, and was very shallow; the second (B) with 
a five-eighth bit, and a little deeper ; the third witli 
a half-inch bit, and still deeper ; the fourth with a 



DISAPPEARANCE OP THE BOAT 213 


three-eighth bit, and still a little deeper. The last 
hole (E) was made only a trifle smaller than D, 
but, of course, deeper. 

“Now make your punches, as I show in Figure 
25, one for each hole, smaller, of course, than the 
holes. To punch out the caps, lay a sheet of cop- 
per on the hole A, and drive punch A down into 
it with a hammer ; then put the sheet so punched 
on the next hole (B), and use the punch B', and 
so on. After the last hole (E) has been widened 



Punches for Dies 


use a square-ended punch (F') so that the bottom 
of the cap, when completed, will be flat.” 

The work of putting the fulminate in the caps 
and drying them did not take long, and the Profes- 
sor brought out a sample of the powder which 
he had made, and which was used in the experi- 
mental explosion at the coal bank. There was, 
probably, two pounds of it. 

For several days more they worked hard to 
complete their firearms, and when the first one 
was finished they could not restrain themselves, 
so eager were they to try the first shot. 


214 


THE CASTAWAYS 


And now came the question of bullets. They 
had forgotten this really important part of the 
equipment. They had no lead, although there 
were samples of blende ore which the Professor 
thought would yield some of the metal, but the 
experiment had failed. 

‘Why is it. Professor, that you did not succeed 
in getting the lead out of the ore we found?” 

“The difficulty is that lead is not generally found 
in a native state, or as free lead. It is usually in 
the form of an ore, called Galena, which is the sul- 
phide of lead, so it is difficult to recover without 
the proper chemicals and treatment. Lately 
native lead has been found, and we may yet get 
some samples.” 

“Then what shall we use? Is there any reason 
why we cannot make the bullets out of iron?” 

“They will answer, but are not as good as lead.” 

“Why are they not just as good as lead?” 

“Because momentum, as it is called, is an im- 
portant thing in a bullet. If, when riding in a 
car, it suddenly stops, momentum is what tries 
to carry you on. So with a bullet — the heavier 
it is the greater is the momentum. It would be 
much better, also, to make the bullet long, and 
pointed at the end.” 

It was necessary, therefore, to make iron bullets, 
of which they turned out four dozen. This work 
occupied several days of their time. 

And now it may be interesting to look for a 
little time into the daily lives of our colonists, 
so that we may be able to know how they lived, 
and what their fare was. They still had a supp]3^ 


DISAPPEARANCE OF THE BOAT 215 

of honey, which served them well, as a substitute 
for sugar. 

^TsnT honey the same as sugar 

“It has many of the properties of sugar, but it 
is not wholly vegetable, even though made from 
vegetables, such as flowers.” 

“Wherein does it differ from sugar!” 

“Sugar is a purely vegetable compound, but in 
the case of honey, it passes from the sucking 
tube of the bee into the sucking stomach or honey 
bag, where it is transformed into a kind of animal 
compound.” 

“What makes it so sticky!” 

“It has mucilage in it. Melted sugar and mucD 
lage act like honey, even though it doesn’t taste 
like it. Sugar is not as sweet as honey.” 

“Is honey found everywhere!” 

“Yes ; in every part of the world, except in ex« 
cessively cold climates. It was man’s original 
food.” 

“It was pretty nearly the first kind we had.” 

Then, besides the honey, were the potatoes, sev- 
eral kinds and a variety of sweet potato, and cas- 
sava; and for flour they depended mostly on the 
sago tree, a supply of this being one of the chief 
requirements by all of them. Nuts in profusion, 
enough to delight the heart of any boy. Barley 
was now coming in and it was getting more 
plentiful. 

One day Harry said: “I notice that the yaks 
cross the river every day at the lower ford, and 
return again in two or three hours. I wonder 
where they go!” 


216 


THE CASTAWAYS 


^‘Evidently they know the best feeding ground* 
Suppose we investigate the matter?” 

It happened that during the entire time they 
were on the island they had not followed the line 
of the cliffs to the west. The Cataract house was 
less than a half mile from the sea, or from the cliffs, 
and the altitude of their home was, probably, 75 
feet or more, whereas the cliffs were higher, and 
particularly that prominent point which they 
called Observation Hill, was fully 125 feet high. 

Directly to the west, in the unexplored part of 
the island, and north of the forests, was the part 
visited by the yaks. 

George and Harry took their guns next morning 
and followed the yaks up the incline beyond the 
Cataract fully two miles, where they emerged on 
a lower plane, shut out from the sea, although 
they could still see the line of cliffs beyond. Here, 
to their surprise, was a fertile field of barley, an 
abundance of the cereal being found in all direc- 
tions. 

‘^This looks like a cultivated field of barley, it is 
so evenly distributed.” 

^Tf it isn’t cultivated I wonder why it grows in 
this way? That isn’t our herd; look over there.” 

On the opposite side of the field from their yaks 
were dozens of the animals eating the luxurious 
growth. 

^‘No wonder the yaks have been visiting this 
section. While we are here let us visit the cliffs. 
I want to look at the sea from this part of the 
land.” 

Their steps were directed toward the nearest 
point, and when the last line of rocks was reached 


DISAPPEARANCE OF THE BOAT 217 


the sea was in sight. The water, however, did 
not come np close to the base of the cliffs, there 
being a rocky beach intervening. This was cov- 
ered with driftwood, trees, seaweed, and debris 
such as is usually found on beaches everywhere. 

Here, before descending, was the first oppor- 
tunity to try their guns. George was fortunate 
enough to shoot a partridge, which, however, was 
purely accidental, as he excitedly fired into an 
immense flock, killing one and wounding another, 
which they finally captured. 

The beach with its wreckage was an interesting 
sight. They followed the course of the cliffs back 
toward the Cataract, hoping to be able to reach 
the mouth of the river without again ascending the 
cliffs. 

After proceeding a half mile Harry’s attention 
was directed toward an object among a mass or 
debris, which had a red color. It was about two 
feet long, slightly curved from end to end, and 
was provided with a rib at one edge. The other 
edge was jagged and the ends broken off abruptly. 
It was undoubtedly a board, or a part of a ship or 
boat. There was no indication of decay at the 
broken edges of the board. The rib was the por- 
tion painted red, and the other part as a dark 
brown. 

‘^Let us take it down to the Professor. This 
may be important to us.” 

‘‘Wait,” said George. “The Professor will ask 
us all sorts of questions about the place, and how 
and in what condition it was found, so let us be 
prepared.” 

To their gratification they were able to reach 


218 


THE CASTAWAYS 


the river without climbing back over the hills, 
and it was a pair of excited boys who met the 
Professor. 

^‘Another find,” was Harry’s first remark. They 
found the Professor at the water wheel dislodging 
a small trunk of a tree which had caught in the 
propeller. 

''And what is that?” asked the Professor, eyeing 
the red board. 

"We think it is a piece of a boat, and it just 
occurs to me that it might be a piece of our own 
boat.” 

"No,” was the Professor’s response; "our boat 
had no red, if you will remember. This is no 
doubt the gunwale of a ship’s boat. Was it lying 
under the debris?” 

"No, we found it almost on top.” 

"What else did you find around it, or in close 
proximity?” 

"Nothing; we didn’t search very far after we 
found this.” 

"How high up on the bank was it?” 

"About fifty feet from the water’s edge.” 

"What puzzles me as much as does the finding 
of this piece of the boat, is to know why it is 
that an island like this should have so much drift- 
wood on the shore. We haven’t seen any trees 
growing near the shore.” 

"Have you thought of the rivers?” 

For a moment the boys pondered. 

"The piece I took from the water wheel when 
you came up was pretty good evidence as to the 
medium which supplies the beaches.” 


CHAPTER XV 


PLANNING THE SECOND EXPEDITION 

But we had entirely forgotten the description of 
their daily life. Early each morning it was the 
Professor’s habit to arise and build a fire for the 
morning meal. Let us describe the meal. Yak’s 
milk was one of the principal items; then there 
was always a supply of the most delicious tapioca, 
or barley, now that the crop was ripening. 
Quinces had been found, as stated heretofore, and 
those were cooked and with the honey made up 
into a delicious preserve. They had found no 
apples, but berries were abundant everywhere, 
alongside the hillsides and in the valleys along 
the streams. 

They longed for some bread — real home-made 
bread — and visions of the barley fields haunted 
them. They looked so much like the wheat on 
the farms at home. Harry, as usual, when it came 
to the question of provender, was the first to ex- 
press himself. 

am in favor of taking a lot of the barley.” 

The Professor was much interested in the pro- 
posal. ^‘Why not make barley flour?” 

never heard of it. Do you think it will make 
a good flour?” 

“Nothing better. It is a cereal which is more 
widely known, and more generally grown, over 
the surface of the globe than any other. It grows 
219 


220 


THE CASTAWAYS 


in Lapland as far as 70 degrees latitude, and at 
altitudes of over 10,000 feet in the Andes and in 
the Himalayas. It is not as palatable as wheat, 
and not as nutritious, and it retains its husks more 
closely.’’ 

‘ AVhy can’t we rig up a flour mill f ’ 

^‘That is a good idea, Harry; but before doing 
that a scythe would be a good thing.” 

Here was the next article to make, and Harry 
set to work at once. 

George also took a keen interest in the pro- 
ceedings now. 

‘‘While Harry is at the scythe, I will make the 
hay-rack for the wagon, so we can make the first 
trip to-morrow.” 

The noonday meal usually consisted of meat, 
and frequently of fish, of which they had several 
varieties. Game had been a scarce commodity 
with them on account of the difficulty in bringing 
them down with the hows, but the guns made a 
change in this direction also, and besides par- 
tridges, they found grouse, and also prairie 
chicken, the latter the most delicious of all. In 
addition there was an ample supply of “corned 
beef,” which was sparingly used, at this time of 
the year, and only by way of variety. 

The evening meal was a substantial one, as the 
vigorous work made them ravenous, and they ate 
as only boys of their age can eat under the cir- 
cumstances. 

The following day the boys were ready early, 
fully equipped with a scythe, a rake and a .pair of 
forks (the latter being made of wood), prepared 


PLANNING SECOND EXPEDITION 221 


to make a day of it, and bring back as big loads 
as they could handle. 

In about an hour they reached the barley field, 
and the boys, both fresh from farm life at home, 
did not need instructions in the handling of the 
scythe, at which they took turns, and to the de- 
light of the boys, the Professor showed his skill 
as well. 

^^Shall we cut it high and remove only the heads, 
or take as much straw as possible f’ 

George and the Professor both favored taking 
all the straw possible, as they needed good bed- 
ding, and in addition it would be a fine thing to 
provide their yaks with a supply. 

‘Tf we have any left we might make some 
paper,” was the Professor’s comment. 

“What, out of barley straw!” 

“Certainly; it will make a good paper. All 
wrapping papers were originally made entirely 
of wheat and barley straw.” 

“I have an idea that we might thatch our roof 
with it.” 

“Capital ; but we should have cradled the barley, 
instead of cutting it with a scythe, to keep the 
stalks straight.” 

The boys, as you see, both had the idea of utility 
in all their enterprises, and, after all, what are 
the good things of the earth for if not for the pur- 
pose of contributing to our support and comfort? 

“How much will our wagon hold ?” 

“With the kind of roads we have I do not think 
we ought to take over half a ton at a time.” 

When they had completed their last load, George 


222 


THE CASTAWAYS 


thought they had cut fully an acre, but Harry dis- 
puted it, and the Professor suggested that the 
space cut be measured, so the acreage could be 
determined. 

‘^Even if we do measure it off, how can we ascer- 
tain just how much of an acre we have f ’ 

‘^One square acre contains 43,560 square feet, so 
that about 209 feet wide and the same in length, 
would make an acre.” 

When measured the space cut was found to be 
approximately 170 x 130 feet, which would be 
22,500 square feet, or a little over a half acre. 
When they reached home the question of weight 
troubled the boys. Up to this time they had no 
occasion to make such calculations necessary. 

‘‘How are we going to make a pound measure 

“We need distilled water, and a measuring rule 
for that, and, of course, we should also be in the 
latitude of Greenwich, England, and conduct the 
experiment in a temperature of 62 degrees, to 
make it absolutely accurate.” 

The boys laughed at this, as it might be imag- 
ined they would. 

“It’s too funny, to think we have to go way over 
to England to find out how much a pound weight 
is. Why should all those things be necessary?” 

“For these reasons: Distilled water weighs 
less than undistilled. But distilled water is used 
because its weight is something definite. Water 
not distilled may have different substances in it, 
dependent upon the kind of water it is, and so weigh 
more or less. The pull of gravity, as you have 
learned, is different at different points from the 


PLANNING SECOND EXPEDITION 223 


equator, and by selecting a temperature of 62 de- 
grees we are measuring in a known displacement 
or weight of air/’ 

‘‘For our purposes cannot we take the cataract 
water and get the measure from that which will 
be near enough?” 

“Certainly; bring a pint here, and make it as 
exact as possible.” 

Again the boys laughed. “We don’t know how 
much a pint is, either.” 

The Professor joined in the laugh. “Quite 
true ; I had forgotten. A pint is 27 cubic inches. 
It is not that exactly, but we cannot be too par- 
ticular, without very fine measuring instruments.” 

“Oh, yes ; three inches by three inches by three 
inches make 27 cubic inches, and from the pint we 
can get the gallon or bushel.” 

When the necessary weighing machine was com- 
pleted the half acre was found to yield 1,120 
pounds of barley straw and all. During the next 
few days they were diligent in harvesting quite a 
crop, so that the storehouse contained several tons, 
awaiting the day for threshing out the grain. 

During all this interesting work the boys could 
not longer resist the temptation to extend their 
knowledge of the island. It was like a loadstone, 
drawing them to the interior. Furthermore, they 
now had some firearms, which, though crude, 
would be very serviceable in defense and useful in 
hunting. 

In the experiments with the iron bullets it was 
found that they could hit a mark fairly well at 
150 feet, and when shot was used they could do 


224 


THE CASTAWAYS 


good execution at 100 feet, so it will be seen they 
could not depend on a long range. But with six 
weapons of this character, the longest of which 
had a barrel with a bore ten inches long, they had 
a pretty strong battery of guns. All were muzzle- 
loaders, since it was a difficult matter for them at 
this time to make cartridge shells, but they hoped 
to do that later on, as Harry explained. 

The pistols, however, afforded them a sense of 
security which they had never before experienced. 
Notwithstanding their eagerness to start the Pro- 
fessor prevented an early departure, as he thought 
another week should be put in at home devoted 
to laying in additional stores for future needs, 
and in the meantime Harry could also make more 
of the guns, as they delighted to call them. 

All concurred in this view. The boys were be- 
ginning to be practical. Necessity made them so. 
The contemplated expedition was to be a thorough 
one, and preparations were made accordingly. 
They might be absent a month or more, and it 
would be prudent to take along a sufficient quan- 
tity of certain supplies to last a full month. 

Before going, however, one thing appealed to 
the boys. They must have some flour — real flour 
— even though it was only barley. A pair of mill- 
ing stones had to be provided; Ibut they were for- 
tunate in having a good quality of millstone grit, 
which was taken from the hill they discovered on 
the second day of their arrival on the island. It 
was the same kind of stone they had been using 
for their grindstones. 

Two fairly flat stones were selected, each about 


PLANNING SECOND EXPEDITION 225 


two feet in diameter, and six inches thick, and one 
was placed on the other, the upper one being so 
connected up with the water wheel that it turned 
on the lower one, and in that way the two faces 
were ground off, so the surfaces of both stones 
were flat. This required a full half day to do. 

A hole was then drilled through the upper one, 
and a metal piece was put centrally in the lower 
one, so that the metal piece could be raised or 
lowered an inch or two. A hole was also drilled 
in this metal piece, and it then formed a seat for 
the spindle which was secured in- the big hole in 
the upper stone. A framework was built up and 
a crosspiece put above the upper stone, so the 
spindle of the upper revolving stone could be held 
in position, and this upper spindle had a small 
pulley so a belt could be run from the large pulley 
of the water-wheel shaft, and thus turn the upper 
stone. 

As the metal seat in the lower stone was made 
to move up or down, the upper stone could be 
adjusted so as to run close to the lower stone, 
and thus grind the barley Very fine. 

The Professor explained that in stones, as usu- 
ally made, the practice was to form radial grooves 
in the contact faces of the stones, but by using a 
very coarse stone, which he had purposely se- 
lected, this was not necessary. All primitive 
grindstones were used without grooves, but in- 
genious man found that the grooves improved the 
stones and that they could thereby use a finer 
quality of stone, and by that means make a finer 
flour. 


226 THE CASTAWAYS 

‘‘Millers donT use grindstones any more now, do 
theyf’ 

“No; tlie march of improvements has been tak- 
ing in the milling process, as in everything else. 
What is called the roller method of grinding, does 
not require stones, but metal rollers instead. It 
will be interesting to put up a small mill of that 
kind when we return.” 

“Now that we have made a success in grinding, 
how can we take out the bran 

“The loosely woven ramie cloth will answer, in 
the absence of bolting cloth.” 

The bolting of the flour was attempted, but it 
was not very successful, as the samples turned out 
carried quite a quantity of fine bran, or middlings, 
as it is called. 

The kitchen utensils comprised the following 
articles, some of which were of soft copper and 
others of iron: Two iron vessels for boiling or 
cooking purposes, one smaller boiler, three cups, 
three knives and forks, a few plates and spoons. 
Quite an array for housekeeping purposes. 

Aside from this there were other metal recepta- 
cles, in one of which they kept their supply of 
honey, of which they still had a good supply. In 
several bags were potatoes and cassavas. No nuts 
were taken on the journey because they could 
be found everywhere. A number of fiber bags 
were also made, these to hold such samples as 
might be found on the journey, and which were 
used at this time to put their food in. Lastly, at 
George’s suggestion, they made a small stove with 
an open bottom, and provided with two holes in 


PLANNING SECOND EXPEDITION 227 


the top, on which the cooking vessels could be 
placed, as such an arrangement conserves the heat 
of the fire and also keeps the smoke away from 
the cooking utensils, and when fitted up with a 
chimney, as George planned, the smoke could be 
conducted up alongside the wagon top. 

The boys-, always jolly, and with an eye to the 
utilization of every incident, named their team 
Jack and Jill, in view of the runaway incident of 
the yaks at the time of the explosion. 

Jack was a beautiful animal, of a dark gray 
color, and very docile. Jill was smaller, and had a 
reddish color. She was naturally restive, and no 
doubt had induced Jack to cause the smash-up 
several weeks before. The greatest caution had to 
be taken properly to tether and hobble Jill, but 
this was not necessary with Jack. 

Both animals were less than two years old, just 
at an age when they could be best trained, as 
they were not yet fully grown. 

The utmost dependence could be put upon the 
yaks, as during the harvesting season the team saw 
a herd of wild yaks at close quarters, but were not 
at all disturbed. They also had become quite 
accustomed to the noise of the firearms. Indeed, 
the thing the yaks most craved was food, and 
plenty of it ; when that was supplied they had the 
most tractable team imaginable. The boys learned 
this during the first weeks of the training days. 

‘^Well, boys, if we have everything in shape we 
might make a start to-morrow.” 

donT know of anything more that we can 


228 


THE CASTAWAYS 


do,” was George’s report, as he was really the 
active commissary. 

Harry had prepared the ammunition, and each 
of the boys, as well as the Professor, carried two 
revolvers — they were really little gnns, however. 
The barrels of all hut one, which they called the 
Hercules, were eight inches long, and with the 
stock were two feet long, so they had straps pre- 
pared, to which they could attach the guns and 
hang two of them from their shoulders. Each 
also had a holo, and, as stated in a previous chap- 
ter, they had several spears, which were kept in 
a set of keepers below the body of the wagon so 
they could readily be found in case of necessity. 

The new wagon had been enlarged, so that it 
was wider ; and one of the first things done was to 
weave a top for it when it was completed, so 
that it really formed a tent for the vehicle. 

Near the rear end of the wagon bed was the 
stove, and a small detachable pipe led up past the 
top, so they could, in case of rain, do their cook- 
ing without leaving the wagon. 

On other occasions, when the weather permitted, 
the stove was taken out and the cooking was done 
on the ground. All their provisions were stored 
in the bottom of the wagon bed, and the mat- 
tresses, which were now made up of the barley 
straw, were stood on edges on the opposite sides 
during the day, and were then arranged in the 
clear space during the night. Within the canvas 
top, which formed the tent, seats were provided, 
and also one for the driver in front, and one be- 


PLANNING SECOND EXPEDITION 229 


hind, as the Professor suggested they should have 
a rear guard while traveling. 

In the early training days of the yaks, they 
would guide themselves solely with the whip, in the 
well-known fashion ; but as the yaks became more 
familiar and the boys learned how to handle them 
better, it was an easy matter to guide them by 
means of ropes attached to the stubby horn, so 
they could turn them to the right or left at will. 

The question now was, where to go? There 
should be some definite course to follow. It was 
decided to go due west, pass by the barley fields, to 
the left, and skirt the forests on the north side, 
for at least fifty miles. 

The Professor’s great anxiety was to explore 
the region along the mountain range, but the diffi- 
culty was to cross the South Eiver. It would not 
be wise to risk a transit on a raft. 

Harry made the first observation concerning 
their course. “If we go directly west we shall, I 
am sure, get into the country where the savages 
are, which will not be the case, probably, if we 
go south.” 

“Then I am in favor of it,” said George; “let 
us go for the savages. I want to know something 
about them.” 

Harry pondered a while. “I don’t mind the sav- 
ages. I am curious to know what we can find 
along the seashore, and for that reason I agree 
with the Professor to go due west.” 

It was with a great deal of satisfaction that 
they had completed all preparations and were now 
ready to start. The water wheel was rolled out 


230 


THE CASTAWAYS 


of its position, so that the blades did not tonch 
the water. It would simply wear out to no pur- 
pose during their absence. The houses were care- 
fully closed up, and everything put in order for a 
long stay. At nine in the morning the start was 
made. 

The course adopted was constantly to have one 
of the boys on foot ahead of the team a sufficient 
distance to pick out a safe and easy route. The 
other two were to remain on the wagon; one to 
drive, and the other to act as a rear guard on the 
tail seat. 

The yaks, while slow moving animals, are 
more active than the common ox, and could easily 
make from three to three and a half miles an hour, 
but on uneven roads the best they could expect 
was two and a half miles an hour, so that when 
they camped for the noonday meal between twelve 
and one o’clock, the distance traveled was about 
ten miles. 

Little did either of the boys know what wonder- 
ful experiences and adventures lay before them, 
and many of them will be related in the next 
volume, ^‘Exploring the Island.” 


THE END 







% 


GLOSSARY OF WORDS 
USED IN THE TEXT 


Assimilated. To make like or similar to; to bring to the likeness 
with. 

Arc. A portion of a circle or other curved line. 

Arrow-root. A root which contains a large amount of starch. 

Aardvark. The Dutch name for earth hog. A species of wild 
hog. 

Anthracite. The hardest coal. Usually bums without black 
smoke. 

Anneal. The process of softening metal by heat. 

Altitude. The height of an object, or its elevation above that 
plane to which the base is referred. 

Astringent. Binding, contracting, strengthening. The name given 
to substances which contract and strengthen the 
animal fibers. 

Adulterating. Corrupting or making impure. 

Aggressor. The one who commences hostility. 

Bacteria. A minute animal, or germ, which infects animals. 

Blende. A sulphide of zinc. 

Blaze. A term used to indicate marks made on trees to 

show a path or trail. 

Bolting. In milling, the separation of the bran from the flour. 

Bovine. The cow species of animal. 

Braze. The soldering together of metals by the use of heat 

and a suitable flux. 

Breech. The rear end of a firearm barrel. 

Breakers. The heavy waves on a coast line. 

Castanha. The Brazil nut. 

Cannel. A variety of soft coal which burns with a bright 
flame. 

Calcium. The technical term for lime. 

Cassava. A tuber, of the potato variety. 

Carbon. One of the four primary elements. A fuel. 

^^Acid^*^ The gaseous product of carbon. 

233 


234 

Calcined. 

Caulk. 

Circumfer- 

ential. 

Cleat. 


Charcoal. 

Collapsible. 

Corundum. 

Concen- 

trated. 

Coke. 

Combustion. 

Conserving. 

Cirrus. 

Cumulus. 

Cylindrical. 

Deft. 

Dextrous. 

Diagnosis. 

Drill. 

Dynamo. 

Electro- 

magnet. 

Emery. 

Elongated. 

Expansion. 

Fulling. 


THE CASTAWAYS 

A product which has been subjected to a heat for 
the purpose of driving out all gaseous matter. 
Roasting. 

To close up; to prevent leakage. 

Around an object as a string wound around a 
cylinder. 

A piece of wood used either to hold together various 
parts, or, as used in maritime vessels, it is a small 
wood or metal projecting piece to which a rope is 
attached. . 

The residue or solid matter after ^he most volatile 
or the lightest part of the wood has been burnt out. 

To fall together; shrinking; a wasting. 

A crystallized mineral substance, used for cutting 
and polishing purposes. 

Brought together, or to a center. 

The solid residue of coal after the volatile matter 
has been burnt out. 

The term used to designate anything burned or con- 
sumed by heat. 

To save; to preserve; to keep. 

Clouds which are distinguished by fibers or curling 
streaks which diverge in all directions. 

A cloud with large, convex, white-topped formation, 
and dark or black base. 

A long, circular body of uniform diameter. 

Ready; spruce; smart. 

Right-handed; ready; quick. 

The art or method of determining diseases. 

A tool for forming round holes. 

An electrical machine for generating electricity. 

A device which comprises a bar, on which is wound 
a coil of wire to receive a current, and by means 
of which a magnet is formed of the bar. 

Made up of hard substances, like the grit of precious 
stones, and used for cutting or polishing. 

Made longer in one direction than in the other. 

Enlarging; spreading out. 

A term used in the making of felt goods, which is 
done by putting the lightly matted felt in soapy 
water, and by beating or pounding, causing the 
fibers the more closely to move together and thus 
make a firmer cloth. 


GLOSSARY 


235 


Fissure. 

Flux. 

Formation. 

Flume. 

Fluxed. 

Fuses. 

Function. 

Fulminate. 

Germ. 

Germinate. 

Gravity. 

Gunwale. 

Gunny Bag. 

Half Mast. 

Hydrogen. 

Heddle. 

Incorpo- 

rated. 

Induction. 

Ingot. 

Intractable. 

Laboratory. 


A cleft in a rock, or earth formation. 

An ingredient, like borax, which is used to facilitate 
the unity of metals in the process of welding or 
brazing. 

The structure or arrangement of the various parts 
of mechanism, or rocks, or earth, or other sub- 
stances. 

A trough or conduit which serves as a means for con- 
veying water to a power wheel. 

A metal which, when melted, is united by means of 
some element. 

The term applied to a metal which is brought to a 
molten state. 

An attribute of anything which shows what it will 
do or is capable of performing. 

A compound w'hich will readily ignite by heat or 
friction. 

A minute animal, found in all animal and vegetable 
matter, which rapidly grows and develops. 

The act of growing or increasing. 

The attraction of a mass for another mass of any 
kind of material, like the attraction of the earth. 

The lengthwise strip covering the upper end of the 
framing timbers of a boat. 

A coarse, heavy sacking of jute or hemp for wrap- 
ping cotton bales or for making bagging. 

The position of a flag when hoisted halfway up the 
mast, as a tribute of respect or as a signal of 
distress. 

One of the four elements; the lightest of all sub- 
stances. 

A series of vertical cords or wires, each having an 
eye midway between its ends, through which the 
warps are threaded. 

Bringing together in an orderly form. Intimately 
mixing various ingredients. 

That quality in electricity which causes a current to 
pass through the air from one wire to another. 

A bar of metal, usually containing the crude or un- 
refined material. In a general sense, a piece of 
metal. 

Difficult to manage. Not easily handled. 

A shop where tools and implements, or chemicals 
and instruments, are used to make experiments. 


THE CASTAWAYS 


236 

Ligament. 


Lignite. 

Life Buoy. 
Locker. 

Machete. 

Mandrel. 

Malleable. 

Merge. 

Mercury. 

Meridian. 

Metric. 

Mica. 

Milling 

Machine. 

Momentum. 

lieutral. 

JNimbus. 

liitrogen. 


Oakum. 

Oscillation. 

Out- 

cropping. 

Oxygen. 


Palatable. 

Penstock. 


Perturbed. 


A strong, flexible muscle, which forms the juncture 
between the bones, or which may be used as a 
binding. 

One of the coals, usually regarded as an incompletely 
formed coal. 

A float to sustain one or more persons in the water. 

A compartment in a boat, or other space, which can 
be secured by a lock or otherwise. 

A heavy cutlass used by many primitive tribes. 

A short shaft or spindle. 

Not hard; softer than the usual composition of a 
metal. 

To pass into. To become a part of. 

A silver-white metallic element. Quicksilver. 

The time when the sun crosses the highest point in 
passing from sunrise to sunset. 

A system of weights and measurements which is 
dependent on the meter. A meter is 39^ inches. 

Isinglass. A transparent earth formed from silicate. 

A machine having usually a horizontal spindle, which 
carries one or more metal-cutting saws for cutting 
grooves or surfacing material. 

The power of overcoming resistance possessed by a 
body by reason of its motion. 

Neither. Intermediate; between. 

A dark, heavy cloud from which rain is likely to be 
discharged or from which rain is falling. 

A tasteless, colorless and odorless gaseous element, 
as in the air and in all plant life. One of the four 
prime elements. 

A fiber made from the coarse part of jute and hemp. 

That motion which is made back and forth in either 
direction, like the swinging of a pendulum. 

The term, usually employed in mining, which desig- 
nates the appearance of different veins. 

A colorless, tasteless and inodorous element; the 
most abundant gas so far discovered, and the most 
important. 

Tasty; fit for food. 

The reservoir or enclosed portion connected with 
and which directly supplies the power wheel with 
water. 

To be disturbed or annoyed. 


Pitman. 

Planer. 

Potash. 

Phosphorus. 

Plumage. 

Protuber- 

ence. 

Primitive. 

Properties. 

Purgative. 

QuiU. 

Ramie. 

Race-way. 

Radial. 

Recuperat- 

ing. 

Resultant. 

Relaxed. 

Reverberate. 

Ruminating. 

Sago-palm. 

Saponify. 

Saturated. 

Serrated. 

Shale. 

Shaper. 

Silicate. 

Solanum. 

Spasmodic. 

Shuttle. 

Stock. 

Stratus. 


GLOSSAEY 237 

The rod which connects the crank with the other 
mechanical part. 

A large power tool for surfacing or finishing lumber. 

A white substance made from lye. Lye is produced 
by leaching water through common wood ashes. 

A soft, yellowish-white, non-metallic element which 
readily absorbs oxygen from the air. 

The coloring, the shape and form of bird’s feathers, 

A projection; an extension. 

The first; original. 

The qualities or components of any substance. 

A cathartic; a purge. 

The bobbin of a loom on which the woof thread is 
wound. 

A strong fibrous plant, resembling more or less all 
the qualities found in jute, hemp and flax. 

A chute for the movement of water. 

Extending out from the center. 

Recovering from an illness. Getting better. 

That which follows as a result of some movement. 

To loosen; to make less firm. 

Echoing; resounding. 

Thinking; reflecting; considering. 

A tree from which a granulated sago is prepared. 

To convert a fat or oil into soap by means of an 
alkali. 

To soak with water or any liquid. 

Toothed. Provided wdth tooth-like forms. 

A slate-like formation, midway in hardness between 
clay and slate. 

A power tool which carries a cutting tool on a re- 
ciprocating bed, the bed being so arranged that it 
may be adjusted at any desired angle. 

A white, hard material, found in the earth. 

The technical term for potato. 

At intervals; irregularly. 

The moving spool in a loom which carries the woof 
thread. 

The wooden part of a gun or pistol. 

One of the rain clouds, shown in the form of hori- 
zontal strips or streaks. 


238 

Staunchion. 

Sterilized. 

Spindle. 

Sulphur. 

Sulphide. 

Turbine. 

Tail-stock. 

Tangential. 

Taut. 

Technicality. 

Tempering. 

Tenacity. 

Texture. 

Theorist. 

Torpor. 

Trophy. 

Triangle. 

Tumble- 

weed. 

Venomous. 

Volatile. 

Woodchuck. 


THE CASTAWAYS 

A standard or post. 

Free from obnoxious and harmful germs. 

A slender spinning rod, such as is used in a spinning 
wheel. 

A pale-yellow, non-metallic element, found in nature 
as one of the substances. 

A compound of sulphur with a certain element, such 
as nitrogen. 

A water wheel turning on a vertical axis, and so 
made as to impart the greatest amount of energy 
to the wheel. 

That part of the lathe which holds the centering pin. 

The meeting point of a line or a surface at a point 
and then leaving without an intersection. 

Tight. Hard-drawn; stretched tight. 

Specially pertaining to some art, trade, or occupation. 

The art of hardening metals by heat. 

Toughness. The state or quality of being firm. 

A peculiar or particular arrangement or structure 
of material. 

One who speculates on subjects, considering cause 
and effect. 

Apathy; sluggishness; partial insensibility. 

Anything taken from an enemy; a prize. 

A figure bounded by three sides and having three 
angles. 

Any one of various plants which, on withering in 
the autumn, break aw^ay from the root and, having 
a more or less globular form, are driven about by 
the wind. 

Having poisonous substances, or poisonous glands. 

Matter which is dissipated by the action of heat. 

A grizzly gray animal, also known as the ground 
hog, which burrows in the ground. Of the rodent 
family. 


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Price 60 cents per volume 


THE NEW YORK BOOK COMPANY 

147 Fourth Avenue New York 


The Hickory Ridge Boy Scouts 

A SERIES OF BOOKS FOR BOYS 

Which, in addition to the interesting boy scout storiee by CAPTAIN ALAN 
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Boy Scout Nature Lore to be Found in The Hickory Ridge 
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Wild Animals of the United States — Tracking — in Number I. 

Trees and Wild Flowers of the United States in Number II. 

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Fishes of the United States in Number IV. 

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THE NEW YORK BOOK COMPANY 

147 FOURTH AVENUE (near 14th St.) NEW YORK 


THE 

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By LAWRENCE J. LESLIE 


A series of wholesome stories for boys told 
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Each, / 2mo. Cloth. 40 cents per volume 


THE NEW YORK BOOK COMPANY 
147 FOURTH AVENUE 
NEW YORK 


Christy Mathewson’s Book 

A Ripping Good 
Baseball Story 
by One Who 
Knows the Game 

This book has attained a 
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Cloth hound 5}/i x 7% ^rice 50c. per volume 



THE NEW YORK BOOK COMPANY 


147 FOURTH AVENUE 


NEW YORK 



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